Football clubs receive welcome cash grants
FOURTEEN football clubs in the Echo area have been given a welcome cash boost as part of a £7 million scheme from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.
The Pitch Preparation Fund was set up in support of the game, which is currently facing unprecedented challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is providing grants to clubs that have lost out on normal revenue streams during this difficult period and helping them to get their pitches ready for when it is safe to play football again, following Government advice.
Around 3,000 applications were received with £26,500 awarded to local teams ranging from Loughborough Dynamo, Shepshed Dynamo and Quorn who eached received £1,500 through to junior sides including Birstall United Juniors FC who were given the biggest grant of £5,000.
Grants awared were: Birstall United Juniors FC £5,000, Loughborough Foxes Girls FC £2,500, Ingles FC £2,500, Loughborough Dynamo FC £1,500, Shepshed Dynamo £1,500, Quorn AFC £1,500, Barrow Town FC £1,500, Hathern FC £1,500, Kegworth Imps FC £1,500, Belton Villa FC £1,500, Sileby Town FC £1,500, Loughborough FC £1,500, Sutton Bonington FC £1,500, Hemington Hammers FC £1,500.
The grants awarded will help with essential maintenance works toward grass pitches, including vertical decompaction, slitting, over seeding, fertilising and weed-killing, as well as routine preparatory works such as grass cutting and the setting out and line-marking of pitches. For artificial surfaces, eligible works include deep cleaning, overmarking and FA pitch testing.
Robert Sullivan, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Football Foundation, said: “We’ve been delighted by the response to the Pitch Preparation Fund when it launched just a few weeks ago.
“Our national game can’t take place without playing surfaces being in good condition so this £7 million of investment provided by the Premier League, The FA and the Government is an important helping hand for clubs across the country to get their pitches match-fit for when matches are allowed to start up again.”