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Coulby Newham Juniors FC and Nunthorpe & Marton PFA Celebrate Football Pitch Funding Success
£50,000.00 awarded to CNJFC & NMPFA to improve the quality of grass football pitches at Nunthorpe & Marton Playing Fields
Coulby Newham Juniors FC and Nunthorpe & Marton Playing Fields Association has been awarded a grant of £50,000.00 from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, to be spent on the playing fields maintenance over 6-years and also new machinery to facilitate the new maintenance regime. Specific specialised training has also been provided for the delivery of the above, to ensure the maximum positive effects.
The £50,000.00 six-year tapered grant, part of the Foundation’s Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund, will help both organisations to improve the quality of the grass pitches at the Nunthorpe PFA & CNJFC site,
The investment was provided following the completion of a pitch inspection using the Football Foundation’s specially developed app, PitchPower, which is a mobile tool used for assessing the quality of grass football pitches. NMPFA & CNJFC will now be able to use the grant to complete the maintenance work identified in their PitchPower Assessment Report, which includes applying fertiliser, aeration, seeding and other maintenance practices.
These grants are key to the Foundation’s aim to help create 5,000 more quality pitches before the end of 2024, in line with the FA’s Grassroots Strategy. Alongside its PitchPower assessment tool, the Football Foundation has also created an online grounds keeping community called The Hive to provide expert support and advice to clubs. More information can be found at https://footballfoundation.org.uk/grass-pitch-improvement
James Hayton, Chairman of Nunthorpe & Marton Playing Fields Association said: This is the first step of the required development to our Community Sports Facility, that will ensure our resident Junior Football Club, Coulby Newham, one of the best, if not the best playing surface in the league.
Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “This grant award to Coulby Newham Junior Football Club and Nunthorpe & Marton Playing Fields Association, towards the development of the playing fields surface and new machinery to maintain it, is vital for the local community in Coulby Newham, Nunthorpe and Marton as they get back to playing football. Our Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund is supporting clubs across the country, helping them enhance and sustain their pitches to improve access to good quality facilities for grassroots players.”
“This is part of our wider ambition to get more people involved in football, regardless of their background, age or ability. By unlocking the power of pitches, we can help transform the lives of players and strengthen communities through the nation’s favourite game.”
The Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund provides eligible clubs and leagues with a tapered six-year grant to help them sustain pitches already at a 'good' level or higher and enhance pitches that are either considered 'poor' or 'basic'.
The grant comes as part of an investment of more than £16m that has been made available to help clubs prepare for the restart of grassroots football following the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.