Since January 2007 The Alex Zone "Playing for Success" Study Support Centre has been based at The Alexandra Stadium in Crewe and has worked with over 1,000 children and young people from the Crewe area, delivering out of school activities and school day educational programmes.
The Alex Zone Study Support Centre, through its educational programmes, aims to assist schools in raising achievement by motivating pupils to become more effective learners. Using activities, which improve the core skills of numeracy and literacy we also aim to raise self-esteem and confidence. In March 2011 the funding to "Playing for Success" was cut and it appeared that the centre might close, but Crewe Alexandra Football Club have given their total support to the work undertaken at the centre and have shown their commitment by financing a new purpose built classroom at the Soccer School in Shavington.
On Thursday 6th October The Alex Zone at the soccer centre was officially re opened.The Chairman, John Bowler and The Soccer Centre Manager, Ray Walker welcomed representatives from local schools, Mr Mike Evans from the Football League Trust, Mr Dennis Dunn the principal of MMU, Crewe Campus and local Councillors.
A group of children from Underwood West Primary School who attend the centre every week demonstrated the skills they have learnt over the weeks in our new ICT suite.
The Crewe Alexandra Community programme is very pleased to have The Alex Zone facility now based at the Soccer Centre. It enhances the already wide rage of football and education delivery. The addition of the Alex Zone will give many local school children the opportunity to learn in a relaxed environment to really boast their self-esteem and confidence.
The Alex Zone will also allow the Soccer Centre to host private meetings corporate days for local business and for Football based FA qualifications and seminars.
Mike Evans from the Football League Trust says: "It was my first visit to Crewe Alexandra FC Community Programme and I was very impressed with the facility and with the Alex Zone. The Football League Trust nationally are trying to secure more educational based initiatives. The facilities at the Soccer Centre are a credit to the Football Club and the Community Programme and its partners and can only benefit all the participants who use the facility.
"The Alex Zone is the kind of education centre that we at the Football League Trust would hope every league club could strive for. Can I wish the community programme and The Alex Zone continued success in the future."
