JUNIOR football officials in Barnard Castle are celebrating a £42,000 grant to improve the pitches at Green Lane Primary School.
Barnard Castle FC, which runs six teams in the Teesside Junior Football Alliance received the money from the Football Foundation.
The club worked with the foundation and Durham FA on the successful bid for £42,232 which will support a programme of pitch enhancement works over the next six years.
The cash will cover the cost of work to reduce waterlogging in particular, which will minimise match cancellations and allow the club’s 100-plus junior footballers to play more matches.
Barnard Castle FC secretary Cath Spence said: “This Football Foundation grant is fantastic news for the club as we regularly have to cancel games due to waterlogged pitches.
“I am hopeful that we will see rapid improvements in the surface conditions so that our teams can play as many games as possible.
“This is so important for children at a time when their access to organised sporting activities has been so limited.”
She added: “It’s really been a team effort and I’d like to thank Green Lane Primary School and Cllr James Rowlandson for their support in securing the grant.”
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.
Robert Sullivan, Interim chief executive of the Football Foundation, said: “We believe we can transform lives and strengthen communities by unlocking the power of pitches. It’s therefore very welcome news to hear that this funding will support BCFC in developing their grounds for their local community.”
