A Black Country pallet network is helping to make football more accessible by supporting the Walsall FC Foundation.
Pallet-Track, based in Wolverhampton, is sponsoring the charity’s matchday visits for the upcoming 2025/26 season to help the community access their local club.
The company’s £5,000 donation means hundreds of locals aged three to 91 can enjoy a one-hour football coaching session, followed by a ticket to watch the Saddlers play at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.
Pallet-Track’s donation to the Foundation follows a two-year partnership with Walsall FC which has resulted in the pallet network becoming a prominent sponsor of the club, with its signage visible around the stadium.
Pallet-Track CEO Stuart Godman said: “We are proud sponsors of our local Football League team and delighted to extend our support to its charity.
“Walsall FC Foundation’s values align with those we have at Pallet-Track, uniting local communities – and football does an excellent job at bringing people together!
“Our support for the Foundation began when the charity marked its 35th anniversary, with Pallet-Track sponsoring an award at its celebration dinner.
“We’re excited to continue supporting our local team and give something back to the community by making football accessible to all ages and new spectators.”
Walsall FC Foundation supports groups from across the borough and beyond, including youth violence, integration, women’s support, older age, mental health, and unemployment. It also encourages first time players and spectators of the sport.
Walsall FC Foundation director Adam Davy said: “The funding will allow us to target a number of groups, allowing us to break down barriers and provide more than 500 individuals with a matchday experience at Walsall FC this season.
“We are aware that there are people who don’t get the opportunity to attend matches at Walsall FC as freely as others and these are the people we aim to target.
“A huge thank you to Pallet-Track for making it possible for us to give a number of families, community groups and project participants the opportunity to experience a live football match – some for the very first time.”
One of those to receive support from the Foundation is Mason, who first attended a match with his school when he was just nine years old.
The visit led to him falling in love with football, and now Mason aspires to be a coach with the charity and will begin further education at its Post 16 Football and Education Programme this September.
Mason’s dad, Jay Rochelle, said: “Mason has taken great inspiration from the coaches who work within the Foundation. They have been amazing role models and have shaped Mason’s future considerably.
“From match one he fell in love with football and Walsall FC. From then on, he wanted his birthday party there, he wanted to attend the soccer schools every half term and we eventually became season ticket holders.
“We are also a fostering family, and the Foundation has given us so many opportunities for the children we look after. They have provided mascot packages, flag bearer opportunities and earlier this year we were honoured to receive tickets for our family to attend the play-off final at Wembley.
“I will forever be in debt to Adam and the coaches for what they have done for us as a family and for the inspiration and opportunities they’ve given Mason since he was young. This has now given him a career plan to aim towards after he leaves school.”
Pallet-Track’s commitment to the club is now entering its third season, having kicked off in 2023-24 when it sponsored the club’s ‘Players’ Player of the Season’ prize and obtained 1888 Lounge membership.
It upped its involvement in 2024-25 by sponsoring the main stand, followed by the whole stadium, and has now extended its support to the club’s charity.
For more information about Pallet-Track, visit www.pallet-track.co.uk.