Dynamo’s home victory
BURSCOUGH Dynamo FC officially opened their upgraded sports hub at the Thomas Galvin Sports Ground on Sunday, as Rosie Cooper, MP for West Lancashire, looked on.
The project was made possible thanks to a grant from the Premier League and the FA Facilities Fund, which is delivered by the Football Foundation, as well as funding from the West Lancashire Borough Council and Sport England.
The site was re-opened by Joan Galvin whose late husband Thomas was instrumental in starting junior football in the Burscough area.
The club did not previously have a base for its teams, instead playing at a number of local venues.
The grant has enabled them to carry out extensive pitch improvement works on the site of their new hub.
The grass pitches were previously out of use for three years due to severe waterlogging.
Now, the state-of-the-art surface will support BDFC and other users.
The facility comprises six full-size pitches, one 9v9 pitch, four Mini-Soccer pitches and a changing pavilion with clubroom.
Thanks to the upgrading of the site, Burscough now has a permanent home which will help them to retain and develop their players as well as attract new ones.
West Lancashire Borough Council has given a 25-year lease for the playing fields and pavilion to BDFC to enable the club to attract the funding required to improve the facilities. The pitches will have a minimum of 26 teams using them. BDFC currently has 22 teams, ranging from Under-7 to adult level, which play in a number of leagues.
The sports hub will have a number of users, in addition to BDFC, including: Digmoor FC, Sacre Coeur FP FC’s Veterans team and Burscough Priory High School.
The site is also able to accommodate cricket sessions, and will be used by a number of local primary schools to hold PE lessons.
Local community groups will also be able to hire the facilities from Burscough Dynamo for sport and leisure activities.
Burscough Dynamo worked alongside the county FA and the Football Foundation to compile a five-year Football Development Plan, which is a vision of how sport will be played on site with an emphasis on increasing participation.
It is expected that the overall football participation will increase by 79% at the site.
This is partly thanks to the club’s plans to establish 11 new teams. BDFC will introduce a girls’ Under-14 and Under-16 side within this, which will help to boost female football participation at the facility.
The club worked in partnership with the county FA to secure a £98,048 grant from the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund. The club also received £100,000 from the West Lancashire Borough Council and £65,000 from the Sport England Protected Playing Fields scheme, towards the project.
Rosie Cooper said: “I am delighted to see this investment into Burscough Dynamo, local young footballers now have good pitches and facilities to improve their skills and fitness.
“My thanks to the chairman Simon Kenyon for his tireless work in the community in making all this possible, and I wish the club the very best of luck for this season and beyond as they continue to grow and expand their participation.”
Kenyon said: “I would like to thank West Lancashire Borough Council for agreeing a long-term lease with us for the playing fields and changing pavilion, and the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, Sport England and the Council for their funding.
“All this has enabled the facility to be used once again mainly for grassroots football, but will allow us to offer cricket and other sports.”
Councillor Yvonne Gagen, West Lancashire Borough Council portfolio holder for Leisure, said: “I am really pleased that the Abbey Lane playing fields are thriving again and that Burscough Dynamo FC and other community clubs have a base they can call home that will be at the heart of the local community.”