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Hundreds flock to milestone Sandwell community open day featuring young footballers

By Deborah Hardiman
Published

Sandwell Police said more than 400 people attended the event which included 150 primary school pupils who took part in various football matches.

Guest speakers on the day included Ben Cisse from West Bromwich Albion & England U20, Jayden Koussou from Newcastle United and England U15 and Curtis Joseph from Walsall Academy. Each shared personal stories of perseverance, challenge and triumph, offering motivation to young aspiring athletes.

Adding to the excitement, an academy scout from Aston Villa identified several promising talents during the day’s fixtures, providing local players with a pathway to elite football.

As well as the football focus, various stalls were set up for the public to find out more about policing. 

This included firearms officers and police vehicles, volunteers from the West Midlands Police Museum, crime prevention advice from officers and a vintage police car.

Eighteen awards were also presented to the community in recognition of outstanding ability, sportsmanship and community spirit.

Partnerships Inspector Naj Ahmed, from Sandwell Police, said: “The community fun day enabled us to engage directly with young people from our African and Caribbean communities.

“The day not only showcased talent and teamwork on the football pitch but also laid vital groundwork for deeper, long-lasting community bonds.

“We are proud of the connections we have forged and look forward to building on this success.”

Last September the force held an open day to demonstrate displays by its specialist teams in front of officers' families and friends as part of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the formation of West Midlands Police on April 1, 1974.