Simon Sadler to officially open Blackpool FC Community Trust's new £400,000 facility at Bloomfield Road

Sadler will cut the ribbon of the state-of-the-art facility at 1pm on Saturday prior to Blackpool's game against Fleetwood Town, and supporters are being invited to attend.

The centre is based on the site of the cold club shop and ticket office in the North West corner of Bloomfield Road.

It has since been transformed into an education and community centre, which includes four tailor-made classrooms, a family and game zone, community gym and a physical activity space.

The facility has been developed with £286,000 funding from the Premier League and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, through the Football Foundation and a further £125,000 from the Community Trust itself.

The Trust has been given a 25-year lease on the area.

The facility will be used to host Blackpool FC Sports College, home to the Trusts BTEC Education, Degree and Traineeship courses, as well as community-based activity, including sporting memories, veterans’ social groups and Premier League Kicks.

Fans are being encouraged to attend the launch on Saturday and explore activities such as a Panna cage (for 1v1 football), table tennis, arts and crafts and FIFA20 on Xbox's and PlayStations.

The Trust will also be manning a food donation drop-off point to support Blackpool Food Bank.

The Trust said: "It is really important that we support this worthwhile cause in our town to make sure that no local residents go hungry during the festive period.

"Please bring along any donations, every single item helps."

Items to be donated can include: longlife milk, tinned soup, meat, fish, pies, vegetables and fruit, cereal, rice, pasta, teabags and diluted squash.