Football club's charity awarded Children in Need grant

Northampton Town Football Club's Community Trust is one of five local projects to receive money this year from BBC Children in Need

The charity arm of a football club has received a grant from Children in Need.

Northampton Town Football Club's Community Trust will receive £27,000 from the BBC charity, which will be paid over three years.

The grant will deliver an early intervention mental health project called Team Talk to children and young people experiencing metal health challenges.

Lorna Stockwell, schools manager at the trust, said it was "incredible" to see the difference in children's confidence after completing the project.

'Now they're confident'

The trust works in 35 schools across Northamptonshire and uses "the appeal of football" to connect with the community.

Team Talk is a 12-week programme run in small groups in schools, primarily aimed at 10 to 11-year olds who "struggle to identify their own emotions".

Ms Stockwell added: "The values of football are used heavily: fairness, understanding, teamwork.

"A lot of the sessions are about working together as a team to achieve an end goal.

"We've had children who wouldn't ever speak in class and now they're confident."