The English Cities Fund partners with St Helen’s Saints’ Inclusive Cheer programme

We’re delighted to be partnering with St Helens R.F.C’s Saints Community Development Foundation to support inclusive cheerleading opportunities for people with disabilities.

Our English Cities Fund (ECF) partnership, with Legal & General and Homes England, will be sponsoring the Saints’ Inclusive Cheer group, one of their fastest-growing cheerleading classes, for the next two years.

With the club’s Saints Angels cheerleading group continuing to expand and grow, the launch of Inclusive Cheer group last year allowed a group of cheerleaders to deliver and introduce new members to cheerleading.

Inclusive Cheer is designed for those with disabilities of any kind to come along and be a part of the cheer team, with the cheerleaders already taking part in pitch performances both this season and last, along with the club’s official kit launch last year.

Through English Cities Fund, we’re currently in a 20-year borough-wide partnership with St Helens Borough Council, to deliver place-changing regeneration that benefits communities right across the borough, starting in the town centres of St Helens and Earlestown.

Steve Leonard, Saints Community Development Foundation Director, said: “We are delighted to announce that The English Cities Fund will be sponsoring our Inclusive Cheer group! Our team of Cheerleaders continue to work incredibly hard to keep striving and improving, and the addition of our Inclusive Cheer group has done just that.

“To have ECF come on board and sponsor our Inclusive Cheer group is something we are really proud about. The interest from ECF already has been great, and we are looking forward to continuing to grow our relationship!”

Stuart Rogers, Project Director at The English Cities Fund, said:

“As a business, we’re committed to places and communities for the long-term and the regeneration we deliver is centred around building a brighter future for all.  Being the development partner to St Helens Borough Council in a 20-year regeneration plan, we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to support a fantastic programme that’s specifically designed to give people with disabilities of any kind the opportunity to be part of the club’s inclusive cheer team.”