Warrington communities are set to benefit from fresh investment into local football facilities.
The council has been awarded a £19,200 grant from the Premier League, the FA and Government’s Football Foundation, to install 16 new sets of adult, 11-a-side goal posts at 12 football sites across the borough.
The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports charity and exists to improve the experience of playing football for everyone, by championing fair access to quality facilities.
The grant will give the 37 clubs who play at these sites – and their 74 men’s and women’s teams – the chance to play football on improved playing pitch facilities with the new goal posts representing a significant improvement on the existing posts which were in need of replacement.
Warrington Borough Council worked with the Football Foundation, the Liverpool County FA and Cheshire County FA to secure the grants towards the Warrington Football Goal Post Replacement Project.
The Government approved The Football Association’s plan for the return of outdoor competitive grassroots football on 17 July, with clubs and facility providers permitted to restart once the necessary risk assessments and comprehensive plans have been put in place.
Cabinet Member for leisure and community, Cllr Tony Higgins, said: “This funding is great news for local football in Warrington. It’s important that we give our players the best possible facilities, and successfully securing this grant will enable us to upgrade pitches across the borough.
“I’m looking forward to the new goal posts giving players a real boost, as we move towards the safe return of grassroots football.”
Robert Sullivan, Interim Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “We know the huge benefits playing regular football can have on individuals’ physical and mental well-being. That’s why we’re committed to transforming the face of grassroots football facilities in this country. It’s therefore very welcome news to hear that this funding will support Warrington Borough Council in developing football facilities for their local community.
“Working with our partners – the Premier League, The FA, government and Sport England – we will be investing in over £1bn worth of local facilities across the country over the next decade. We believe we can transform lives and strengthen communities by unlocking the power of pitches and this is another project that brings us closer to that ultimate goal.”
The sites which will benefit from new goal posts are:
– Appleton Thorn
– Birchwood Forest Park
– Crab Lane
– Doe Green
– Elizabeth Park
– Hood Lane Rec
– Loushers Lane
– Morley Common
– Padgate Hall
– Ridgeway Grundy
– Sow Brook
– Thornton Rd
