The charity linked to Oswestry’s football club has won a top accolade for its fun football sessions across the area.

The New Saints FC Foundation has been named Fun Football Provider of the Year for the Wales Central Region in the FA Wales McDonald’s Grassroots Football Central Region Awards 2025.

The award was presented by former Wales international Joe Ledley to the Foundation’s Courtney Ashworth and Tom Leather at the awards ceremony hosted by Llandiloes FC recently. The Foundation will now go forward to be considered in the all Wales finals.

Gill Jones of the Foundation said that it was the first time the charity had won the award.

“We are delighted. It’s a great accolade for the work of our teams across the area. Our one-hour fun football sessions not only help children improve their football skills but keep them active, build their confidence and help them make new friends,” she said.

The Foundation’s McDonalds Fun football sessions run weekly during term time at Park Hall Stadium and in Welshpool in association with the Football Association for Wales.

They include Mini Saints for four- to seven-year-olds on Saturday mornings, Junior Saints for seven- to 11-year-olds on Monday 5pm to 6pm, and Welshpool Huddle for 5 to 11-year-old girls on Thursday 5.30pm to 6.30pm.

Other fun football sessions running at Park Hall include Teen Saints for 11 to 16-year-olds on Friday 5pm to 6pm and Wildcats – part of the FA programme – for girls aged 5 to 11-years on Wednesday from 5pm to 6pm.

The Foundation also runs a number of additional community fun football sessions at Gobowen’s Pavilion and playing field on Monday nights supported by Selattyn and Gobowen Parish Council; St Martins on Tuesday nights and Morda on Wednesday nights.

The Gobowen sessions take place from 5pm to 6pm alongside the Foundation’s weekly youth club for children aged 9 to 16 years. The St Martins sessions take place from 4.30pm to 5.30pm at St Martins playing field for children aged 5 to 11 years and the Morda sessions run from 5pm to 6pm at Morda playing fields for children aged 5 to 11 years.

Further information on The New Saints FC Foundation’s fun football sessions is available at TNSFC Foundation or by emailing  info@tnsfcfoundation.org.uk