Half-term holiday courses to raise funds for Crossbar Foundation

After a record-breaking summer which saw more than 4,000 Shropshire youngsters attend one of their holiday courses, Crossbar Coaching Education in Sport will donate all profits from their half-term courses next week to the Crossbar Foundation.

The popular sports coaching company, now into its eighth year, will be running Halloween-themed soccer schools, multi-sports sessions, dance camps and junior leaders courses around the county from next Monday to Friday.

Gavin Cowan, the director of Crossbar, said all money raised will be donated to the Crossbar Foundation, a pioneering new charity launched in August to support and improve the quality of lives of young people in communities across Shropshire.

He added: "We're running everything in collaboration with the Crossbar Foundation, who have sub-contracted us to deliver what we do, so all profits from the courses will go to the Foundation, which in turn will be injected into the community to help children and young people in areas of deprevation.

"It's a big decision because as a business we obviously want to function, but the holiday courses are something that's directed at a lot of children lucky enough to be involved.

"It's nice that it can now create finances to be injected into various Shropshire communities, so it's something we're very pleased to be doing.

"We had a phenomenal six weeks during the summer holidays with record numbers attending our courses and it's pleasing that children and parents really see the value in what we do. We offer that little bit more in terms of child development, using sport as a tool to aid that."

Dave Edwards, the Wolves and Wales Euro 2016 star, will be lending his support by paying a visit to youngsters attending Crossbar's soccer school at Telford's Lawley Primary School to conduct a question and answer session.

Gavin, a former Shrewsbury Town team mate of the midfielder, said: "Dave's a big believer in what we do and always comments on what an amazing time the children have on our courses and how engaged they are. It's always great to have him along."

All of next week's courses are open to boys and girls between the ages of five and 13, with youngsters aged 12 and 13 eligible to attend as Crossbar Young Leaders.

Crossbar, who deliver sport across the curriculum in many Shropshire primary schools, will be running soccer schools at both Shrewsbury's London Road Sports Centre and Telford's Lawley Primary School from Monday, October 22 to Wednesday, October 24. Many of the coaches have a background in professional football.

Multi-sports sessions will take place from Monday to Friday next week at the London Road Sports Centre, which is also the venue for a dance camp from Monday to Wednesday. Multi-sports will run at Lawley Primary School next Thursday and Friday, with a street dance course at Telford's Hollinswood Primary School from Monday to Wednesday.

Holiday clubs, which combine multi-sports, movie club, arts and crafts, and other activities, will be held at Shrewsbury's Greenfields Primary School, Bayston Hill's Oakmeadow Primary School, Pontesbury Primary School, Broseley C of E Primary School and Telford primary schools Old Park, Redhill and Woodlands between Monday and Friday.

For more details and prices, which range from £10 to £15 per day, email admin@crossbarcoaching.com or call (01743) 362368.

Courses run from 9am-3pm each day, with early and late pick ups available for an hour either side for an additional £2.50 each.

Crossbar Coaching Education in Sport is Ofsted registered and also accept childcare vouchers.

Pictured: Logan Trainer having fun at a Crossbar Coaching Education in Sport holiday course.