A detailed review surrounding Wanderers' community activities in March
Matt Mills and Tim Ream kicked off the month of March by attending the Bolton Wanderers Supporters Association’s social evening.
The first team duo were quizzed by those present, with supporters able to meet the pair afterwards for photos and autographs.
Elsewhere, Bolton Wanderers’ representatives in the Enterprise Challenge delivered a presentation to members of the first team squad and manager Dougie Freedman at the club’s training ground.
Having previously triumphed in the semi-finals of the annual tournament which was launched at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season, the youngsters later competed in the final of the competition in London but were narrowly beaten by West Ham United.
A programme which looks at challenging young children with a real-life business task relevant to football, this year’s task was focused on trying to develop revenue streams from international markets, particularly Africa and the United States.
Having to pitch their proposals to a panel of judges, Bolton’s team, featuring Westhoughton High School pupils Imergen Howarth, Scott Stenton, Rachel Connor, Jay Whittle, Connor Bowling and Marelle Morley, have worked closely with the football club to produce a fan club app which targets people from the home towns of the first-team players Medo Kamara, Stuart Holden and Tim Ream.
March also saw two further matchdays designated to specific charities, with Wanderers' clash against Blackburn on March 1 raising £1084.85 for the NSPCC while the Whites' meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion on March 15 was dedicated to raising awareness of the Kick It Out initiative.
The first team's fixture against Wigan Athletic was also used as a platform to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK - the Football League's national charity.
Finally this month, Bolton Wanderers’ representatives in the Football League Trust Kids Cup booked their place in the national final of the competition at Wembley Stadium after triumphing against local rivals Burnley.
Having already emerged as champions over 19 local primary schools to reach the regional stage, Bolton School Junior Boys overcame 11 other northern sides at the club’s academy to reach the final which they eventually went on to win with a 3-1 victory over their Bournemouth counterparts.
Funded by the Football League Trust, the Kids Cup is a six-a-side tournament held every year for under-11 boys and was won last year by Huddersfield-based Honley Junior School.