COVENTRY’S Baginton Fields is one of several special needs schools across the West Midlands that have signed up to take part in next month’s ‘Festival of Football’.
The event will take over four pitches at Villa Park’s training academy on November 8 and has been organised by Wylde Green Rotary Club alongside teachers, helpers and Aston Villa backroom staff.
The festival sees teams of between five and eight players compete in friendly matches, with no winners and losers and medals available for all.
Schools from Kingswinford, Solihull, Nuneaton, Stourbridge and Coleshill will also be taking part.
The festival has managed to continue throughout the Covid pandemic and will be celebrating its 25th year this time around.
Refreshments will be provided by Oscott Tesco on the day.
Nick Thurston, of Wylde Green Rotary, said: “The event is always popular with the children travelling to Villa Park to play football.
“It gives us a lot of pleasure to see how much enjoyment the players get from their day out.
“Working with Special Needs schoolchildren and seeing their enjoyment in playing football is one of the highlights of our Rotary year.
“Due to the planned demolition of the AV Academy this will probably be the last year the event is held at Aston Villa, but we are exploring other options for next year.”
Rotarian Bill Elliott, who has been involved with Special Needs Football for over 20 years added: “Sutton Rotarian David Phillips who started this project would be proud to see that it is still going strong.
“Having been involved with children with Special Needs it gives me great pleasure to see them enjoying themselves and being given this opportunity to have this experience.”
