THE Chippenham & District Sunday Football League and Wiltshire County Football Association are supporting AFC Melksham to accessible playing opportunities for local young people aged 12-16 with learning or physical disabilities.

Melksham Town Council and The Community Foundation have provided AFC Melksham a grant to help set up a new U16s Ability Counts team which will compete in the U16s Division of the Wiltshire & Dorset Ability Counts League in 2013/14.

Throughout the remainder of the current season the team will receive training sessions and the opportunity to play in some friendly festivals against other U16s Ability Counts teams from Wiltshire.

The free football sessions will be delivered by FA qualified coaches at Melksham Oak School Sports Hall on Wednesday evenings 5.00-6.00pm during term time, starting on Wednesday, February 20.

Mike Rogers, secretary of AFC Melksham, said: “AFC Melksham is delighted to be able to offer playing opportunities for these young people and look forward to the sessions kicking off in February.

"The support we have received from key partners and organisation has been superb.

"This will be the first Ability Counts team in the Town and we look forward to being part of the County FA’s exciting development plans of creating an U16s Ability Counts Division next season”.

The sessions are open to males and females aged 12-16.

To sign up to these sessions, contact either Rogers (AFC Melksham Secretary) rogersafc@mail.com or Adam Greaney (Wiltshire County FA Football Development Officer) adam.greaney@wiltshirefa.com.

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