Walton & Hersham FC Launch a Premier Disability Football Project

Brooklands College and Walton and Hersham FC have announced a new disability football project to support the new football academy being launched by the club at the college this September. Coaches form Walton and Hersham will now be working with players and coaches form the Brooklands Supported Learning football team, who are one of the leading disabilities football sides in the country. This year they were again crowned champions of the SW Regional Kick@FE league and narrowly missed out on lifting the National Football for All Cup, staged at the National Football Museum, Lancashire. With the Brooklands team providing players who have played for Chelsea, Fulham, Brentford and Liverpool's community teams, this is an exciting opportunity for both sides. Ashley Jordan-Diaper, Head of Supported Learning and Chelsea Disability youth coach is delighted with the new link: "Walton and Hersham have been fantastic with the players and have donated a new kit to the team. We are hoping with the support of the club and coaches, we can encourage other players with a disability to take up the game in the community, as well as helping the team to become the leading college disability team in the UK."

To recognise this new exciting link, the college team have renamed themselves "The Brooklands Swans" and were delighted to accept their Regional League trophies from the Walton and Hersham management team of Les Kleevley and Stuart Searle. The new Brooklands Swans Captain, Neil Jackson said: "The team is really excited about playing for the Swans and it was great to put on the new kit and accept our trophies as the part of the Brooklands Swans team."Les Kleevley, the Walton & Hersham manager is proud and delighted to be involved with the Brooklands Swans team and see's this as an exciting opportunity to reach out to all youngsters with all abilities across the surrey community. "On behalf of all at Walton & Hersham - Alan Smith the Chairman, The Management and coaches, we welcome Brooklands disability team into the set up here and look forward to developing their marvellous scheme in the future. We have some ambitious plans for the Brooklands Swans and with our support; we want to see them bring even more regional and national trophies to Stompard Lane. For us this is the start of ensuring that our community programme meets the needs of all within Surrey"

Source: http://www.brooklands.ac.uk/news.asp?ID=293