We’re all ready for the big kick-off
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AFORMER Premier League referee has opened a Widnes school’s new third generation (3G) artificial grass pitch.
Chris Foy cut the ribbon at Ormiston Chadwick Academy’s (OCA) new facility in Liverpool Road.
The pitch has replaced a previous sand-based playing surface and will lead to an increased participation in football in the town with five new girls’ teams to be created.
In addition to OCA’s 670 students, it will house several grassroots clubs including Widnes FC, Hurricanes FC and Pex Hill FC.
The pitch was created thanks to a £355,890 grant from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund, which is provided by the Football Foundation.
Opening the new facility, Chris said: “This all-weather pitch is ● fantastic, and it’s great to see so many youngsters out there playing football, making the most of the new facility – even in the cold!
“Recently, I’ve visited some tremendous grassroots facilities delivered by the Football Foundation, and I’ve seen how much of a positive impact they make on local sport.
“It’s the same here – the allweather pitch will be enjoyed not only by the school, but also a number of local community groups and clubs, who offer provision for coaches, referees and players.
“These facilities at the lower levels of sport are the bedrock of the professional game, and I’d like to thank the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund for their generous financial support, and also of course OCA for getting the pitch up and running.”
As part of the project, OCA worked in tandem with the Football Foundation and Liverpool FA to develop a five-year Football Development Plan (FDP).
Through the FDP, Widnes FC will create a new disability side to compete in the Ability Counts League and enrol their affiliated coaches on The FA’s coaching disabled footballers course.
Cllr Phil Harris, an OCA governor, said: “This replacement 3G pitch, funded by the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund and OCA, is an outstanding facility for a fantastic school, that will be a welcome addition to local sports infrastructure and sports development.
“Thanks to the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund’s desire to improve grassroots sport, we now have a high quality sports facility that will be used by students and some of the community’s best amateur sports teams.
“As the council’s spokesperson for sport and as a local councillor, I welcome this new facility – and as a governor I am well aware of the benefits that high quality sports facilities bring for students, and the commitment OCA has to community access of the school.”
The chief executive of the Football Foundation, Paul Thorogood, said: “I am delighted that a grant from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund has enabled Ormiston Chadwick Academy to build a fantastic new allweather pitch.
“This development will provide a real boost to sport in the local area, and a special thanks must go to Chris Foy – a great ambassador for grassroots football – for opening the new facility.
“Since 2000, the Football Foundation has supported grassroots projects worth more than £1.4bn, investing into areas where the need is greatest and where it will have the biggest impact in terms of getting more people playing football and a wide range of other sports.”