Hundreds of children watched Blackburn Rovers' final home game of the season as part of the Ewood Express initiative.

At the Coventry City game, 552 young people from 15 different organisations including schools, mosques, community groups and grassroots clubs were provided with travel to and from Ewood Park and a ticket to watch the match.

In total, seven double-decker buses were in operation, and The Beardwood Hospital, based in Blackburn, made a generous cash donation to cover the costs of one of the buses. 

A spokesperson for The Beardwood Hospital said: “Supporting Ewood Express is extremely important to the hospital as we believe this is a valuable initiative to the community. 

“The football club is a big part of the Blackburn community and we want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to be a part of it.” 

Last weekend’s game marked the fifth time the Ewood Express has been in operation this season, with the aim to bring different communities together at Blackburn Rovers through affordable and accessible transport.

Commercial and integration manager at Blackburn Rovers, Yasir Sufi said: “It’s great to see so many children being able to access a live game. What makes it all worthwhile is the amount of times a child tells you it was a day they will never forget. 

“Every child should have the opportunity to watch a live game. Without the support of local teachers from schools and mosques, and volunteers from community groups and grassroots clubs a lot of children would not be able to access our Ewood Express service. 

“A huge thank you from everyone at the club for those who give their time up on the weekend so children from all over the borough are able to attend.”

Noordad Aziz from Masjid Madrassa Islamia, Great Harwood, said: “As a volunteer from the Great Harwood community, I have found the Ewood Express as a fantastic initiative that gets young people active and engaged in watching live football, especially for those from background or towns that don’t have live professional football on their doorstep.  

“I have seen the interest in the young people grow as the day progresses, the whole experience is wonderful from the transport to the stadium and throughout the match as the young people’s interaction grows especially with the singing and flag waving. 

“A seven-year-old who attended his first ever football match said please can I keep my ticket as I want to put it in my diary as it's been one of my best days ever.”
 
If you are interested in getting involved in the Ewood Express campaign for the 2024/25 season, you can email ewoodexpress@rovers.co.uk for further information.