Tag: Press Release

The press release issued by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on 20 May 2023.

The UK Government funding is part of ongoing investment in multi-sport facilities throughout Wales in collaboration with the Cymru Football Foundation.

People playing grassroots sports in Wales will directly benefit from the latest £1.2 million investment in high quality multi-sport facilities from the UK Government, in partnership with the Cymru Football Foundation and the Football Association of Wales.

As part of the Government’s 2022/23 commitment, more grassroots participants in Wales will see their facilities improved, increasing the availability and access to high quality facilities for football, hockey and other grassroots sports. Forty three sites have been selected for funding across Wales as part of the 2022/23 funding allocation.

A key priority for the Government is to level up access to community sports facilities in all parts of the UK, to help as many people as possible to get involved in sport and to deliver all of the mental and physical health benefits associated with active and healthy lifestyles.

The latest investment is part of the Government’s ongoing £300 million multi-year investment into grassroots multi-sport pitches across the UK by 2025 – more than £13m of this will be invested in Wales.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

We are committed to levelling up access to sport which is so important for the nation’s physical and mental health.

Today we are delivering 43 new and improved grassroots sports facilities across Wales to continue to support, sustain and grow community and grassroots sport – so that physical activity is accessible to all, no matter a person’s background or location.

We will continue to work with the Football Association Wales to nurture the talent of the future whilst making sure local communities have the sporting facilities that they need.

A central aim of the programme is to level up access to community sports facilities and invest in some of the most deprived areas in the UK, to give as many people as possible the opportunity to take part in sport. In order to achieve this, and to deliver access that every community needs, at least 50% of investment will be spent in underprivileged areas.

Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies said:

The UK Government is continuing to invest significantly in grassroots facilities, helping clubs and groups to deliver the huge health and social benefits that sport brings.

I am delighted that this funding is being distributed to communities across the length and breadth of Wales, allowing future generations of sportspeople to develop their skills. Working with the Football Association of Wales and others, we want to make sure the fantastic success that Welsh sport has recently enjoyed continues for many years to come.

Some of the facilities to benefit from the 2022/23 round of investment in Wales include:

• Darran Park in Ferndale has received more than £170,000 to upgrade their 3G pitch;
• Essity Stadium in Flint has received more than £40,000 for floodlights;
• Tredegar Recreational Sports Ground in Park Hill has received more than £18,000 for floodlights, storage, goalposts and shelter;
• Underhill Park in Mumbles, Swansea has received £190,000 for a new artificial grass pitch;
• Evans Bevans Playing Fields in Port Talbot has received more than £27,000 for grass pitch upgrades.

A full list of the facilities to benefit from 2022/23 investment in Wales can be found here.

40% per cent of the funding will be used to support multi-sport facilities, ensuring a wide range of sports are supported and helping to deliver benefits beyond football. The programme has a particular focus on increasing participation among under-represented groups such as women and girls, and those with a disability.

Noel Mooney, Chief Executive Officer, the Football Association of Wales said:

At the Football Association of Wales, we are focussed on driving up the standard of grassroots football facilities across Cymru and to supporting football clubs to be community hubs bringing social, health and economic benefits to the areas they serve.  The investment in new facilities through the Cymru Football Foundation, which has been made possible through the funding from DCMS, is a prime example of this work.

The UK Government, in partnership with the Cymru Football Foundation and Football Association Wales, continues to build on its £1.3 million investment in 2021/22, with a further £1.2 million confirmed today and a total of 60 sites in Wales having benefitted to date.

Throughout the lifecycle of the grassroots multi-sport facilities investment programme which will run to 2025, Wales will receive more than £13 million in total to help nurture the talent of the future.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 20 May 2023.

23 projects receive a share of £2 million as part of the UK Government’s ongoing investment in multi-sport facilities in collaboration with the Scottish Football Association

• UK Government reaffirms commitment to improving access to high quality facilities and increasing participation in grassroots sports in Scotland
• Ongoing UK-wide £300 million capital investment continues to build capacity in underserved areas and provide for underrepresented groups

Grassroots sports facilities in Scotland will directly benefit from the latest £2 million investment in high quality multi-sport facilities from the UK Government, in partnership with the Scottish Football Association.

As part of the Government’s 2022/23 commitment, 23 sites in Scotland will see their facilities improved, significantly increasing the availability and access to high quality facilities for football and other grassroots sports.

A key priority for the Government is to level up access to community sports facilities in all parts of the UK, to help as many people as possible to get involved in sport and to deliver all of the mental and physical health benefits associated with active and healthy lifestyles.

The latest investment is part of the Government’s ongoing £300 million multi-year investment into grassroots multi-sport pitches across the UK by 2025 – over £20m of this will be invested in Scotland.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

“We are committed to levelling up access to sport which is so important for the nation’s physical and mental health.

“Today we are delivering 23 new and improved grassroots sports facilities across Scotland to continue to support, sustain and grow community and grassroots sport – so that physical activity is accessible to all, no matter a person’s background or location.

“We will continue to work with the Scottish Football Association to nurture the talent of the future whilst making sure local communities have the sporting facilities that they need.”

A central aim of the programme is to level up access to community sports facilities and invest in some of the most deprived areas in the UK, to give as many people as possible the opportunity to take part in sport. In order to achieve this, and to deliver access that every community needs, at least 50% of investment will be spent in underprivileged areas.

Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack said:

“We have seen some fantastic results in recent years from Scotland’s men’s and women’s football teams and we know much of this is a result of the hardwork and dedication put in by those working in grassroots football. I am pleased the UK Government is working closely with the SFA and providing funding for high quality facilities in Scotland.

“With much of the funding aimed at multi-sport facilities, deprived areas and underrepresented groups this investment will benefit many people across the country.”

Some of the facilities to benefit from the 2022/23 round of investment in Scotland include:

• Forfar Community Football Trust in Angus has received £126,000 to convert their floodlights to LED
• Dundee East Community Sports Club in Dundee has received over £58,000 to install floodlights and solar panels
• Inverness Caledonian Thistle Community Development in Inverness has received over £157,000 for a grass pitch upgrade
• Motherwell FC Community Trust in Lanarkshire has received over £180,000 for a replacement 3G pitch
• Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in Lewis and Harris has received nearly £200,000 for a replacement 3G pitch
• Nethercraigs Sports Complex & Denis Donnelly Park in Glasgow has received nearly £60,000 for new floodlights

A full list of the facilities to benefit from 2022/23 investment in Scotland can be found here.

40% per cent of the funding will be used to support multi-sport facilities, ensuring a wide range of sports are supported and helping to deliver benefits beyond football. The programme has a particular focus on increasing participation among underrepresented groups such as women and girls, and those with a disability.

Scottish FA Vice President Mike Mulraney, said:

“The Scottish FA’s grassroots strategy, Football for All, aims to increase participation at all levels by removing barriers and improving accessibility to the game.

“Helping clubs to improve their infrastructure and facilities is central to this strategy and we are grateful to the UK Government for their support.

“Clubs are the beating hearts of communities across Scotland and through partnerships like these, we will help reinforce the power of football locally and in doing so develop our national game.”

The UK Government, in partnership with the Scottish Football Association, continues to build on its £2 million for 2021/22, with a further £2 million confirmed today, and 40 sites in Scotland having benefitted to date.

Through the lifecycle of the grassroots multi-sport facilities investment programme which will run to 2025, Scotland will receive £20 million to help nurture the talent of the future.

The press release issued by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 20 May 2023.

The Government is working alongside its Football Foundation partners the Premier League and The FA to invest £64 million in thousands of grassroots sports facilities to get more people playing sport on quality pitches.

• More than 1,600 new and improved multi-sports grassroot facilities across England are benefiting from Government support
• The ‘Ella Toone Pitch’ at William Fosters Hub in Wigan is latest site to mark Lionesses class of EURO 2022
• Ongoing UK-wide £300 million capital investment in grassroots facilities continues to improve access for thousands and nurture tomorrow’s sports talent

EUROs-winning Lioness Ella Toone has unveiled a football pitch named in her honour, as the Government and its Football Foundation partners the Premier League and The FA confirm investment in thousands of grassroots sports facilities to get more people playing sport on quality pitches.

Toone, a goal scorer for the victorious England team at the UEFA Women’s Euros 2022, unveiled a 3G pitch as part of a £6.3 million redevelopment of the William Fosters Hub facility in Wigan that will open to the public later this summer.

Across England, the Government is investing £64 million, working alongside its Football Foundation partners the Premier League and The FA, to build and upgrade 1,600 grassroots sports sites this year to level up access to high quality sports facilities.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:

We are committed to levelling up access to sport which is so important for the nation’s physical and mental health.

Today we are delivering more than 1,600 new and improved grassroots sports facilities across the country to continue to support, sustain and grow community and grassroots sport – so that physical activity is accessible to all, no matter a person’s background or location.

We are continuing to celebrate the success of the Lionesses – with the ‘Ella Toone Pitch’ enabling the generation of women and girls inspired by them to get active and involved.

The funding will deliver upgrades, improvements and new pitches – making more high quality facilities available for people to play football, hockey and other grassroots sports. Projects support a range of facility types –  from the creation or upgrade of changing rooms, grass pitches and 3G football turf pitches and pavilions, to floodlights, fencing and improved disabled access.

Facilities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from £3.8 million being invested by the Government in partnership with the FAs in each home nation.

The Ella Toone Pitch is the second of 23 Football Foundation-funded pitches that will be named after each of the Lionesses to honour their UEFA Women’s EUROs victory last summer and inspire the next generation of women and girls to get involved in the beautiful game.

Ella Toone, Lioness forward, said:

It feels just like yesterday that I was a kid kicking a ball around just a few miles from here but already so much has changed in the women’s game. It’s so exciting to see more and more women and girls wanting to play football and the amazing new facilities here will allow them to do just that.

As a Lioness I feel a responsibility to be a role model for the next generation and it’s such an honour to do that with a pitch named after me in my hometown. I’m so grateful to the Football Foundation for the opportunity to inspire local girls to fall in love with the game just like I did.

A central aim of the programme is to level up access to community sports facilities and invest in some of the most deprived areas in the UK to give as many people as possible the opportunity to take part in sport. To achieve this, and to deliver the access to facilities that every community deserves, at least 50% per cent of investment will be spent in underprivileged areas.

This site is one of over 2,200 across the UK to have benefited so far from the Government’s four-year £300 million capital investment into grassroots multi-sports facilities. Between 2021 and 2025, £261 million of Government funding will be delivered in England, alongside  funding from Football Foundation partners the Premier League and The FA.

Some of the facilities to benefit from this year’s round of investment in England include:

• Bottesford Town FC in Lincolnshire has received over £950,000 for new 3G pitches;
• AFC North Kilworth in Harborough has received almost £100,000 for a new pavilion;
• Manchester Maccabi Community & Sports Club in Bury has received almost £125,000 for a new grass pitch;
• St Peters Playing Field in North Tyneside has received more than £1.8 million for new 3G pitches, changing rooms and a county football association headquarters;
• Roach Dynamos FC in Rochdale has received more than £530,000 for a new pavillion;
• The Groundwork South Trust Limited in Cornwall has received more than £125,000 for a new grass pitch and floodlights;
• South Park Sport Association in Reigate has received almost £450,000 for a new 3G pitch;
• Mersham Sports Club in Ashford has received almost £470,000 for new grass pitches.

See the list of facilities to benefit in England.

40% per cent of the funding will be used to support multi-sport facilities, ensuring a wide range of sports are supported and helping to deliver benefits beyond football. The programme has a particular focus on increasing participation among underrepresented groups such as women and girls, and those with a disability.

Robert Sullivan, CEO, Football Foundation said:

Ella and the Lionesses are a great showcase of how important quality grassroots facilities are for the women’s game. Many of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 squad, including Ella, started their pathway to stardom on facilities funded by the Football Foundation. It’s vital the next generation has access to great places to play.

Thanks to investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Football Foundation is directing more money than ever into supporting the grassroots game. Every one of the facilities we fund will provide equal access for women and girls. That means providing safe, accessible and inclusive environments for women and girls from their journey to the site right up to their first step onto the pitch.