International football celebration to take over Accrington Town Centre this Saturday

Accrington town centre will be transformed into a vibrant international football celebration this Saturday, with a packed programme of free family attractions, football challenges, special guests and giveaways set to bring football fever to the heart of the town.

From 10am until 4pm on Broadway, visitors can enjoy a fantastic range of football-themed activities, including a crossbar challenge, freestyle footballer, esports gaming, football skills sessions with Accrington Stanley favourite Shaun Whalley, walking football, free face painting and colouring workshops, street food and free giveaways throughout the day.

The event marks the launch of a three-week programme of activities taking place in Accrington town centre over the coming weekends, celebrating international football and bringing the community together through sport, entertainment and local pride.

One of the highlights of Saturday's event will be the crossbar challenge, taking place from 10am until 4pm.

The first 30 people to hit the crossbar will win a free replica football and be entered into a prize draw featuring some incredible prizes, including a PlayStation 5, a 50-inch television, an official England shirt, an Accrington Stanley shirt signed by Shaun Whalley and a copy of EA Sports FC 26.

Visitors can also enjoy a dedicated esports area throughout the day, featuring both retro and modern football games for football fans of all ages.

Accrington Stanley star Shaun Whalley, who also runs Shaun Whalley Coaching, will host free football skills sessions at 2pm, 2.30pm and 3pm. Those wishing to take part can pre-book on Eventbrite or simply turn up on the day (if capacity allows). Register your free place here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-football-skills-sessions-with-shaun-whalley-coaching-tickets-1991446553249

A mixed-team adult walking football session will take place at 3:30pm, providing another opportunity for people to get involved and enjoy the day.

There will also be chance to meet former Scotland goalkeeper Matthew Gilks between 10am and 4pm, who is a coach at Accrington Stanley. Gilks will also be running goalkeeping coaching during Shaun Whalley’s training sessions.

Alongside the football activities, there will be free face painting and colouring workshops, a football-themed selfie area, street food stalls and a host of free giveaways throughout the day, including footballs, bucket hats and football horns.

A special five-a-side football tournament for Under-10s will also take place on Broadway between 10:30am and 1:30pm. Teams from local primary schools and grassroots clubs will compete, with every player receiving a medal and certificate. The winning team will take home a fabulous LEGO World Cup trophy.

Visitors will also be able to visit a dedicated Pride in Place area, where local people can have their say on how Pride in Place funding should be invested to improve the local area. Anyone unable to attend can leave their feedback online at https://www.rdf.agency/hyndburn-feedback/

The celebrations continue on Saturday 20th June (10am-4pm) with a special international flag trail around Accrington Market. Participants will be invited to match market stalls to the correct national flags for the chance to win prizes, while there will also be a football goal challenge and football selfie zone on Broadway.

The final weekend of activities takes place on Saturday 27th June on Broadway (10am-4pm). There will also be a football challenge, storytelling area and 100 free ice creams available on a first-come, first-served basis for U12s. Families are encouraged to bring along picnics and enjoy a day of community celebration in the town centre.

All of the events will also be supported by Accrington Stanley Women, with a number of their coaches and players available to meet.

Sami Smithson, Chair of the Accrington Neighbourhoods Board, said: “This is going to be a fantastic few weeks for Accrington. With football fever hitting the nation, what better way for local people to get involved than by coming together in the town centre and enjoying these brilliant free activities.

“There is so much going on for families, young people and football fans of all ages, and it is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our community, showcase everything Accrington has to offer and create some lasting memories right here in the town centre.”

Shaun Whalley said: “I am really excited to be involved in this event. I love projects like this, and they are great for the next generation of footballers.”

The events are free-to-attend and everyone is encouraged to come along and be part of Accrington's international football celebration.

The Accrington Stanley Community Trust are also running a number of free summer football sessions as part of the Pride in Place project, between Monday 15th June and Friday 17th July.

The sessions are for young people aged 8-17 across Hyndburn, taking place at Stanley Sports Hub on Mondays, Springhill on Tuesdays, Bolton Avenue on Wednesdays, Bullough Park on Thursdays and Oak Hill Park on Fridays.

The events are part of the Pride in Place project which will invest £20m into Accrington town centre, run by the Accrington Pride in Place board in partnership with Hyndburn Borough Council and funded by the UK Government.