Football the key as children benefit from new-look centre

Originally published 15th May 2007:

A FOOTBALL club is heading a scheme to improve literacy, numeracy, health and fitness in its home town. Jim Murphy, Government minister for employment and welfare reform, yesterday officially opened a classroom block at the Herlingshaw Education Centre, in Eston, Middlesbrough, following a £220,000 revamp. Middlesbrough Football Club is one of the partners in the centre, where alterations include classrooms, a health suite and an IT room. Courses, which have already started at the centre, aim to deliver education programmes to youngsters from across Teesside, including those facing exclusion from schools. More than 40 young people have already benefited from the football-themed learning programme, with another 47 due to take part by the end of July. Mr Murphy said: "These efforts are all about giving young people the opportunity to develop their personal and social skills and to help them gain necessary training and qualifications for future employment.'' George Cooke, director of Middlesbrough Football Club's Community Project, said: "Funding from One NorthEast has enabled us to transform a previously under-utilised building into an education centre that has a real benefit for the local community''. Kate Welch, a One NorthEast board member, said: "As the regional development agency for the North East, we want to give people as great a chance as possible to access education, employment and training. That's exactly what the Herlingshaw Education Centre will do". Middlesbrough Football Club's partners in the centre are Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council and the local primary care trusts.

This photograph below shows William Herlingshaw (1920-1988) on the left at what is believed to be the opening of the Herlingshaw Centre. Originally the Centre was purely oriented towards sporting activities.