CPF

1414 teams in Hampshire to score £55,000 of Club Preparation Funding

Football in Hampshire was given a boost today with £55,000 worth of investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation

Football in Hampshire was given a boost today with £55,000 worth of investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation. 


The funding is being awarded as grants from the Foundation’s Club Preparation Fund.  This has been created to help clubs prepare their buildings to safely reopen in line with Government guidance around hygiene and social distancing, and The FA’s plans for a ‘phased return’ that were announced on 18 July. 

 

110 grants were awarded to clubs across Hampshire totalling £55,000. This will benefit 1414 local football teams across the county. 

 

These Club Preparation Fund grants will go towards football sites to satisfy the extra hygiene measures that Government guidance requires. This includes:

 

  • Installing hygiene facilities, such as hand sanitiser dispensers, soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers and waste bins
  • Modifications, such as safety screening, contactless payment systems and signage
  • Facility maintenance work, such as repairing hand basins and hot water provision
  • Professional inspections that may be necessary due to the prolonged period of closure resulting from the pandemic – including inspections of water quality, gas and ventilation.

 

Neil Cassar, Hampshire FA CEO, said: ‘It’s great to see funding, such as the Club Preparation Fund, being awarded to clubs and organisations to improve the grassroots game in Hampshire and ensure its safe return. We are all looking forward to the restart of grassroots football and the funding will support this safely. We thank our colleagues at The Football Foundation for this continued support of our National Game.’


Hampshire club, Yateley United FC, announced that following the award of a significant six figure grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, they are now able to commence work on the construction of the £715,000 Community Access Building which forms the next phase of the clubs development of a Community Sports and Wellness Centre at Sean Devereux Park, Yateley. 


Yateley United FC Chairman, Colin Ive, said ‘We are extremely grateful to the Football Foundation for their support which has enabled the club to go ahead with this construction and is great news not just for the football club but importantly our community. This building will provide excellent support facilities for sport but also treatment rooms and a significant space for both social activities and for groups who contribute to the wellness of our community, be it through support groups for those with critical illnesses or as a centre for more direct medical interaction.’

‘None of this would have been possible without the dedication and perseverance of our teams of volunteers who run the club and have organised the fundraising events in such a professional way.’

 

The investment follows the Foundation’s Pitch Preparation Fund that awarded £7m to 2,902 organizations across the country.  This is enabling over 9,000 football pitches to be made match-fit, and is benefiting more than 33,000 football teams.

The Football Foundation is a charity funded by the Premier League, The FA and the Government, through Sport England.