AROUND 60 young people turned out in Tullibody last week as free football sessions kicked off in the town in a sports for change programme.

The Football 5ives session at the Tullibody South Campus on Friday, September 10, was delivered by Game On Scotland, a Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) programme, along with Clacks partners in education, sport and policing.

An evening diversionary, the sessions are hoping to offer a positive destination and activity for young people aged 11-17 in the area, at times when antisocial behaviour can be prevalent.

The programme is also aimed at improving health and wellbeing and is being delivered in partnership with Clackmannanshire Council's community learning and development team as well as others.

Sean Laird, CRT's Game On development manager, hailed a positive first session on Friday with around 40 young people taking part, supported by coaches, including from Sauchie Juniors.

Other young people were also in attendance on the peripheries, engaging with community link workers as well as representatives from community policing.

They helped to tidy up the area with a litter pick and several bags of trash were collected to make a difference and leave the area spotless.

Sean said: “It was fantastic engagement from the young people.

“We hope to add additional activities on the long-term as well as [continuing our work] in wider health and wellbeing informal education.

“A fantastic turnout from the kids.”

The sessions in Tullibody, which will be held every Friday between 6pm and 8pm, will run at the campus until the evenings get darker in October.

From then on, the sessions will move to the recently fixed-up indoor hall at community owned and run Tullibody Civic Centre.

Running in parallel with the Tullibody sessions, Friday night Football 5ives is also available in a partnership between Game On and the Wasp Community Club.

The session is held at the same time, between 6pm and 8pm, at the five-a-side pods at Clackmannan Road in Alloa.

Free sessions are also offer for girls in the area as well in the P4-7 age groups.

Also held at the five-a-side pods in Alloa is a session on Monday afternoons from 4pm to 4.45pm while back in Tullibody, there is a session starting this Thursday at the Civic Centre between 4pm and 5pm.

All the sessions are free and young people are welcome to just turn up and play.

To pre-register and guarantee a place, contact Sean via sean.laird@coalfields-regen.org.uk or call 07394 569 609.

For more information and to keep up to date, follow @gameonscotland on social media.