TV soap stars and ex-Premier League players will be raising money for a crime-fighting organisation at a charity football match.<\/p>\n
The game in aid of North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT) is being organised by the Wrexham Police FC team\u00a0 who are the second favourite club of Wrexham AFC co-owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.<\/p>\n
Among those expected to be lining up against the off-duty coppers will be a trio of actors from Emmerdale, James Hooton who plays Sam Dingle, Jay Kontzle who portrays Billy Fletcher and Joe Warren Plant aka Jacob Gallagher.<\/p>\n
They will be turning out for the Supporting Charities Football Club that\u2019s made up of\u00a0 football fans, celebrities and former professional footballers.<\/p>\n
The game will be kicking off at the Airbus football pitch in Broughton at 3pm on\u00a0 Sunday, August 11.<\/p>\n
Voluntary donations will be accepted on the gate on the day and a Local Giving link has also been set up: PACT CHARITY FOOTBALL MATCH WITH WREXHAM POLICE FC | Localgiving<\/a><\/p>\n The Wrexham Police FC team was the brainchild Sergeant Dave Smith, who manages the neighbourhood policing officers in Deeside.<\/p>\n He was based in Wrexham when he founded the team as a response to a decline in public trust during the pandemic.<\/p>\n Sergeant Smith said: \u201cAt the back end of Covid, I realised there was a bit of breakdown in the relationship with the public because we were the ones enforcing the restrictions.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a bit of negativity towards the police so I wanted to rebuild those connections and break down the barriers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe started playing community groups and teams in the Wrexham area and we have now evolved to raising money for charity, a total of \u00a344,000 in the last 18 months.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got lots of support from the public as well as celebrities like Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the past 12 months Ryan and Rob have\u00a0 donated something like \u00a320,000 for different games raising money for the children\u2019s ward and the oncology department at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and a game for a little lad called Louie who has a rare genetic condition.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re also getting a lot of support on social media from the likes of Nick Knowles the star of DIY SOS, Wales legend Neville Southall and singer Chesney Hawkes \u2013 and loads of others from the worlds of TV and sport and from people as far afield as America and Canada.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s good to bring off-duty colleagues together from across the force area and it\u2019s also good for our wellbeing.<\/p>\n \u201cPACT is also a cause that\u2019s close to our hearts\u00a0 because they have done a great deal to support us as a team which has allowed us to do what we do in the community.<\/p>\n \u201cI know PACT does a great deal of\u00a0 great work across North Wales supporting projects that reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat they do dovetails perfectly with our work in communities in North Wales.<\/p>\n \u201cWe encourage community groups to apply for support from PACT because we see the real benefits that their support gives.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has a significant impact and helps make North Wales a safer place. They are fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n According to PACT Chair Ashley Rogers, the regional charity has supported over 3,500 projects across communities in every single county in North Wales since it was established a quarter of a century ago.<\/p>\n He said: \u201cWrexham Police FC is such an inspirational football team and it\u2019s really worked wonders and social media is ablaze with the great work that they do<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that they\u2019re supporting us and raising money for PACT is exceptional.<\/p>\n \u201cIn fairness, Dave and his colleagues see the value of PACT in their day job in neighbourhood policing, helping to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour.<\/p>\n \u201cPACT funds or co-funds 150 projects across North Wales every year so the money raised will be well spent, ultimately improving the quality of life for the people who live here.<\/p>\n \u201cSport itself is a great motivator and helps the community because of its ability to bring people together in a very positive team environment in a way that almost nothing else can.<\/p>\n \u201cIt helps in terms of both physical health and mental health so it ticks all the boxes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe charity football match is I am sure going to be a highly entertaining game and we\u2019re grateful to all players who will be giving up their spare time to raise money for PACT.<\/p>\n \u201cPersonally, I\u2019ll be supporting both teams on the day and the perfect result for me would be a high scoring draw. Everyone\u2019s a winner.\u201d<\/p>\n Anybody wanting to make a donation to PACT can do so by clicking on: <\/strong>PACT CHARITY FOOTBALL MATCH WITH WREXHAM POLICE FC | Localgiving<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n