Bolton Wanderers Football Club and Bolton Wanderers Community Trust picked up two coveted accolades at last night’s North West Football Awards.
Wanderers defender David Wheater, who was the club’s own Player of the Year last season, fought off competition from the likes of Oldham’s Peter Clarke, Rochdale’s Callum Camps and Fleetwood’s Cian Bolger to pick up the League One Player of the Year award at the glitzy evening at Emirates Old Trafford, the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club.
The defender made 49 appearances and scored nine goals in all competitions as Wanderers achieved automatic promotion to the Sky Bet Championship last term.
Parkinson was also nominated in the Manager of the Year category but narrowly missed out to Blackpool’s Gary Bowyer.
Meanwhile, Bolton Wanderers Community Trust won the Community Initiative of the Year prize for their Positive Chances scheme.
The scheme, which has been running for around six years in its current format, was established to support young people who are in the care system in Bolton. This includes young people who are in foster care, the care of extended family, who access short break centres or young people who live in residential units.
Positive Chances allows the Trust to specifically target those young people who are most in need of their services by offering one-to-one mentoring, positive activities and a weekly youth club.
“I am delighted for the whole team,” said Phil Mason, the Head of Bolton Wanderers Community Trust. “It is great to be recognised for the excellent work they do in our community. The Positive chances programme is really changing lives.”
He added: “Our vision statement is to be at the heart of the community, realising potential and this programme does just that. I would like to thank all those who support and sponsor our work in the community, because of such support we can carry on building on our work.”
For more information about the Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, please visit www.bwct.org.uk