The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
A welcome blast from the Wind Farm
The Peterborough Referees Association have been successful in their application for funding to assist referee development in the Fenland area.
Their Peterborough & Fenland Referee Development Scheme has been awarded potentially up to £4,200 to go towards equipment and coaching time in five local schools.
The sessions will put an emphasis on fair play, respect and sportsmanship and will culminate in mini-festivals for the schools’ players with referees drawn from that area.
The money has come from the Burnt House Wind Farm fund, which is near Turves and is managed by the CambridgeshireCommunityFoundation.
An initial downpayment of £2,100 has been received with the other half awarded in October if the project proves successful.
Each participating school will now receive a bag of 10 footballs, bibs and cones and will get regular visits from Peterborough RA members starting in September.
Other equipment such as pull-up goals, first aid equipment and a PA system will complement the sessions giving the students the best experience possible and raise the profile of the role of the match official.
PRA chairman Rob Windle said: “We are taking referee development to the next level and the fact we have been successful due to a trial scheme last year swayed the judges’ views that this serious money will benefit the Fenland refereeing community.”