A Coventry principal who helped make football more accessible to thousands of children in his community has been honoured at a charity match to mark the anniversary of his passing. 

Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, part of the Romero Catholic Academy, has renamed its Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) The Kevin Shakespeare Community Pitch in honour of its former principal who helped make the £300k scheme a reality.

Mr Shakespeare, who served as principal at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School from 2014 to 2019 before taking up the role at Corpus Christi in Ernesford Grange, passed away from cancer in March 2025 aged 51.

Since opening in 2020, the floodlit 3G facility has provided around 70,000 places for people play football, rugby, Gaelic football and other team sports.

The £500 raised by the charity match, which featured colleagues from 18 Coventry schools where Kevin either attended as a pupil or taught, helped bring the school community’s fundraising for Myton Hospices to over £5,000 in the last 12 months.

Coventry West ran out 2–1 winners over Coventry East after a late goal from Kevin’s son, Jack Shakespeare, clinched the trophy in front of family and friends who had gathered at the school. 

The teams were comprised of staff from the 18 Catholic primary schools in the city, along with several secondary school colleagues and some of Kevin’s close friends. Romero’s in house catering service provided hot food and drinks for players and spectators.

Earlier in the day, the school hosted a football festival featuring schools Kevin had taught at, attended as a pupil himself, or that his own children had gone to, with girls’ teams playing in the morning and boys in the afternoon. The event also featured a special appearance from Sky Blue Sam.

Andy McConville, principal at Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School, said: “Kevin was a driving force in getting this facility built and since then it has had an enormous impact on the school and the community. We often have to turn away bookings because of how popular it is. 

“To see so many former colleagues coming together to celebrate Kevin one year on has been the perfect way to celebrate his legacy, which is felt incredibly strongly by everyone at Corpus Christi.”

Corpus Christi pupils and children from across the Romero Catholic Academy have benefitted from regular access to the high-quality facility for lessons and extra-curricular activities as a result of the MUGA, with Mr Shakespeare also instrumental in establishing the school’s first girls football team. 

Helen Quinn, chief executive officer of the Romero Catholic Academy, which includes seven other Catholic schools in the city, said: “Kevin was a wonderful principal and his passion for football was well-known. The MUGA will continue to benefit our children and community for many years to come, just as Kevin always hoped.

“We’d like to thank everyone who has supported our fundraising for the Myton Hospices in his memory over the last year – the response has been incredible to see.

“Making the 3G pitch a reality was just one of the ways he had impacted the community during his time with us, and we’re incredibly proud to be naming it in his memory.”

Photographs:

Kevin’s wife Sally unveils the Kevin Shakespeare Community pitch with Corpus Christi Principal Andy McConville (left) and Romero Catholic Academy CEO Helen Quinn (right).
Kevin’s wife Sally and children Hollie, Chloe and Jack, attended the match along with his mother Bernadette and sisters.