An area of “significant deprivation” will benefit from a purpose-built community centre in the shadow of Everton’s Goodison Park.

Everton in the Community has broken ground on the Community Hub, which was funded by the football Foundation and the Big Lottery Fund. The centre will offer a “safe and nurturing environment” for local people to acquire new skills geared towards sports coaching, activity leadership and early-years development.

The new facility will be located in the Everton ward of Liverpool – which is in the most deprived five per cent of neighbourhoods nationally. More than half of the children in the area live in poverty, while the area in general faces challenges such as high unemployment, crime and health, housing and education problems.

“This fantastic facility will allow us to offer members of our community a safe haven where they can socialise safely; access employment, training, and education and volunteering opportunities, receive support around physical health and provide access for isolated members of our community,” said Everton in the Community chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale.

Within the hub will be a Family Zone and a Teen Zone, as well as an open-for-all studio which will be used to deliver health and wellbeing sessions.

The Community Hub will be located adjacent to Everton Free School.