Community club Lurgan Town score a £148k funding boost to revamp their artificial pitch
A cross community football club have received a huge funding boost to upgrade their 3G playing surface.
Lurgan Town have been awarded £148,000 by the Garfield Weston Foundation, a charitable grant-making organisation that donates £62m across the UK each year.
As part of their 60th anniversary celebrations, an additional fund was set up and, due to unprecedented demand, was boosted from £5m to £11m, with over 150 charities set to benefit, including Lurgan Town.
Over 1,000 young people enjoy the work of the club’s 50 volunteers but such high volume has taken its toll on their main artificial playing surface, which can now be replaced.
Lurgan Town secretary and head coach Philip McKinley said: “I honestly can’t put it into words what this funding means to us — I was over the moon when I got the call and just couldn’t stop smiling.
“We are delighted that the Garfield Weston Foundation recognise the importance of this club in the local area — what we offer is much more than football and we have many volunteers who started out as young players themselves.
“This funding will mean the club can continue to provide for 1,000-plus people per week to keep active and socialise with team-mates and opponents.”
The Weston Anniversary Fund trustees took the decision to more than double the fund after receiving over 2,300 applications, with over 60% from charities that have never applied before.
Brian White, who has two children who play at the club, highlighted the cross-community ethos behind LTFC.
He said: “Lurgan remains a deeply divided town — you could almost draw a line down the middle and it would be a good representation of the divided communities that live there.
“Children traditionally attend their own schools and sports clubs based on the religion they belong to. Lurgan Town
Net gains: Lurgan Town Under-14s and (below) the Under-15 girls will soon benefit from a £148k cash injection Football Club is an exception. This is a place where children can go, feel safe and be part of a wider community — a big Lurgan Town family where lifetime friendships are cultivated.”
The Garfield Weston Foundation’s director, Philippa Charles, paid tribute to volunteers like those at Lurgan Town.
“What really impressed our trustees is the amount of volunteering and community involvement that’s going on across the UK,” she said. “We heard about so many amazing projects involving local people who are helping their communities thrive.
“The response from charities to this new fund clearly demonstrates the voluntary sector is proactive and energetic.
“The impact of these grants will be significant, with benefits for many people lasting years.”
A recent survey by the Foundation found that two-thirds (66%) of small charities expect their income to stay the same or decline this year, yet over half (55%) expect to be delivering more services. Getting help with refurbishments or a new building has been highlighted by charities as important as it helps them earn new income.