TRANMERE Rovers and Wirral Council have teamed up for a project helping those at risk of social isolation.

Whether through poverty, unemployment, mental or physical health issues, the authority and Tranmere Rovers aim to work closer to help those who are in need.

The move follows on from an agreement in September between to enter a formal partnership to work together.

Rovers' chairman Mark Palios said: "The club has always enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Wirral Council and I am pleased we can come together more formally to help those in need."

The partnership will see the club and council offer a range of activities focusing on training and employment opportunities for local residents, while also developing the rapidly growing football tourism which has the potential to bring extra money into the local economy.

There will be a strong focus towards offering social inclusion and health initiatives to the local community, for example, sessions to help people with drug and alcohol misuse and mental health programmes.

The project will involve improvements to Prenton Park Recreation Centre allowing the club to enhance services and programmes it provides to the local community in partnership with the Council.

The recreation centre offers various community and education programmes as well as being the base for Tranmere Rovers in the Community, education services and will include the international business and cultural exchange.

Existing facilities include a full-sized multi-sport hard court, a community café, a gym, four classrooms and two social suites.

More than 350 people per week benefit from the facility, from dementia friendly social groups for the elderly and their carers, to the National Citizen Service programme, adult learning courses and the NHS use of community gym for weight management/physio referral plus many more activities.

Cllr Janette Williamson, cabinet member for finance and Resources said: "It is particularly poignant that we are being asked to support this project just a couple of days before Christmas – at this time of year social isolation is even more difficult.

"I am pleased we have this opportunity to be able to work with the Club, supporting them to help such a wide range of residents.

"The Recreation Centre at Prenton Park delivers a whole range of functions and services that would otherwise fall on the council and its budgets to fund.

"By providing this small capital grant to the club to enable the centre to be a first class venue for community services, this enables cost avoidance on the council's revenue budgets."