Newly-formed Wrexham Town Police Station to take on Bellevue FC in its debut fixture

The newly-formed Wrexham Town Police Station football team took another step forward this week, with the announcement of its debut fixture.

Comprising male and female officers, the side has been created in a bid to build cohesion between officers and the communities they serve.

And the officers’ maiden game will come against Bellevue FC on the weekend of 22/23 January, with Wrexham’s Colliers Park to host the match.

Sergeant Dave Smith of the Wrexham Neighbourhood Policing Team met with Bellevue’s founder and secretary Delwyn Derrick this week to finalise details of the fixture.

Sgt Smith said: “I’m delighted that Bellevue have agreed to play us as they were the first team we contacted.

“Our team has been set up to engage with everyone within the community and to break down some of those misconceptions that are out there when it comes to the police.

“We want to build bridges with our community, so we can build trust and confidence in the police.

“Bellevue have given us the opportunity to play against them and I’m delighted because they’re very highly thought of in the local community because of their inclusivity policies.

“The good thing about football is, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, or what you look like. You could be from an affluent background or from somewhere that’s deprived – it doesn’t matter because when you step out on a football pitch all that goes out of the window.

“The power of football can open so many different doors and we want to engage more with the Wrexham Town community and build that trust and confidence in us.”

As a club, Bellevue has cultivated a reputation for inclusivity and freedom since forming in 2016.

Competing in the North East Wales Football League, almost all of the club’s players come from perceived adverse backgrounds, including refugees, asylum seekers, economic migrants, people with learning difficulties, people with mental health issues and people with minor disabilities.

Delwyn, whose work within Bellevue FC and the local community has previously earned him an Equality and Diversity Award, is also enthused by the fixture.

He said: “I think the project’s amazing, to be honest. It’s pioneering something that’s close to our heart as a club, so as soon as Dave called us we were always going to back him 100 per cent.

“Our club mottos is: ‘One Club, One People, United’ and essentially what this project is trying to achieve is just that. Taking out the club aspect, this team will be going out into communities and engaging with people directly in what is a universal language. It’s pioneering stuff and I love it.

“The lads and ladies we see out on patrol will be the same lads and ladies we played against in a football match and we’ll have that rapport with them.

“We’re going to feel confident in coming to them with issues because we’ll know them in a personal capacity. I think that’s really important as well.”

With support from the FAW, the officers will play outside of their duty hours and aim to compete in one match every month from January onwards.