Wolves Foundation column: Hosting Kicks in the Park for summer

It is the annual initiative from Wolves Foundation, offering free football-based activities for young people in three different venues across the city.

Participants between the ages of eight and 18 will be welcome at the weekly sessions, taking place throughout the school holidays from 1pm-3pm at Heath Town Park (Tuesdays), West Park (Wednesdays) and Bantock Park (Thursdays).

This is in addition to all the regular Premier League Kicks sessions which will continue through the holidays, offering young people the chance to meet up and enjoy football in a safe and secure environment.

“We are delighted to once again be offering Kicks in the Park sessions during the summer holidays,” says Louis Guttridge, Inclusion & Cohesion Officer with Wolves Foundation.

“It is an extension of our normal PL Kicks programme, offering participants of all ages and abilities the chance to come and enjoy football-based activities during the summer, completely free of charge.

“It is open to people of all ages and abilities, with different age groups catered for on different pitches.

“We are also trying to add other elements to some of the sessions this year, with other opportunities for the participants to enjoy.”

These opportunities, taking place alongside the football, are set to include visits from different emergency services, an inflatable boxing ring, and the chance to have a try at wrestling.

Also, later in August, some of the young people will enjoy the opportunity to take part in a ‘gun run’, organised by staff from Venning Barracks at MOD Donnington in Shropshire.

A gun run is a physical-based activity where competitors take on what is effectively an obstacle course whilst carrying different equipment.

The workshop will take place at the Foundation Arena at Aldersley, with a view to participants later getting the chance to visit the barracks at Donnington and also take part in a competition against other football clubs.

These opportunities are two of the many provided by Premier League Kicks, a long-running project which operates across communities, engaging young people via a variety of sports, coaching, music and educational and personal development sessions.

Wolves run a highly successful PL Kicks project, which has seen young people enjoy the chance to meet the club’s Head Coach Julen Lopetegui, and singer/producer S-X, who is also a Foundation ambassador.

Participants can turn up at the Kicks in the Park sessions at the stated days and times but for more information, email louisguttridge@wolves.co.uk