A special graduation celebration for local youngsters was pitch perfect, thanks to AFC Fylde Community Foundation.

Working in partnership with Cuadrilla and Centrica, the Foundation arranged for those children who completed the innovative ‘Train Like A Pro’ programme to mark the occasion with a night they will never forget.

The Foundation welcomed them all back to Mill Farm for AFC Fylde’s first televised game on Bank Holiday Monday, when the lucky children were able to experience a pre-match training session on the pitch; a group photo at half-time; a tour of the stadium; and, to top it all, they received free match tickets and club shirts to remember the remarkable day.

As part of the club’s first live broadcast, the children were featured warming up and training on the pitch with the players prior to kick-off. It marked the end of an incredible summer for both the children and the Foundation with the ground-breaking ‘Train Like A Pro’ programme – in which young people from across the Fylde Coast experience life as a professional sports person – achieving remarkable feedback.

Foundation Director Tom Hutton is delighted with the reaction to the programme. He said: “Train Like A Pro has been a huge success and we wanted to mark this in a special way.  To host an evening of celebration and invite all the children to Mill Farm for a grand graduation ceremony gave everyone on the team and at the club a great sense of pride and satisfaction. I’m incredibly thankful to Cuadrilla and Centrica for their continuing support and enabling us to work so closely with the local community and deliver events like this.”

 For more information and news stories please visit www.afcfyldefoundation.co.uk or keep up to date with all of our updates on twitter @afcfct.