By working with the Manchester United Foundation (MUF) HDT is set to see more girls playing football in the area.

HDT are proud to have been working in partnership with the Manchester United Foundation (MUF) since 2012. The partnership is a 3 year programme and we are investing £22,000 per year.

For this, MUF provide a full-time hub officer, based centrally in the area in order for them to build lasting relationships with the local community.

Our hub officer is Otto Malone who was appointed in February 2014, taking over from Rob Curran and is based at Irlam and Cadishead College (ICC). Otto works with pupils from the college as well as children from feeder primary schools, teachers, parents, local community groups and partnership organisations.

The MUF programme delivers football coaching, skills training, personal development and life changing experiences, providing young people with opportunities to change their lives for the better.

It starts early, engaging children in primary schools who receive sports coaching and lifestyle sessions, encouraging them to eat a balanced diet and to be healthy and active.

Older students are given the opportunity to volunteer at after-school coaching sessions and are encouraged to take extra-curricular qualifications in sports coaching and enterprise to improve their skills and employability in the future.

Young people can acquire the OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA) Certificate in Employability Skills, the Certificate in Business and Enterprise or the BTEC in Sports Science at ICC. There is also a specific aim to improve participation in football for girls in the area by providing female only training sessions and starting a girls team or signposting participants to existing ones.

Pupils have enjoyed visits from first team players and legends from Manchester United and have been invited to Carrington training ground to meet their heroes as a reward for hard work and academic achievements.