PEOPLE LIVING IN AYLESFORD ARE SET TO BENEFIT FROM FRESH INVESTMENT INTO LOCAL FOOTBALL FACILITIES.

Aylesford Football Club have been awarded a grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, to upgrade their facility.

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.

Grassroots football matches and training cannot take place at the moment due to the COVID-19 outbreak and will only restart when it is safe to do so following government advice but this funding is great news for local football in the meantime.

This grant will enable Aylesford Football Club, which plays at both local and county levels, which gives 300 players the chance to play football each week, to improve the clubs playing surface, improving it pitch facilities for all.

Players will be able to enjoy better quality pitches, which will represent a significant improvement on the existing pitches, with the surface prone to becoming heavy during wet periods.

Aylesford Football Club worked with the Football Foundation and the Kent FA to secure a £17,628 grant towards the project.

James Fuller, Chairman, said: “Improving the playing surface of the pitches at Aylesford Football Club for all our playing members was is a top priority for the Club, and this funding will go a long way to ensuring our pitches have less postponements while enhancing the playing surface all year round. ~ enhancing the playing surface all year round, which in turn will hopefully result in less fixtures being postponed. This will contribute positively to the playing experience for ~all our current players young and old our current and future playing members right across the age groups, from the U5’s in our Soccer School all the way up through the age groups to the adult playing members which is fantastic. We are extremely grateful to both the Football Foundation and the Kent FA for the funding and support they have given and continue to give us as a Club, and we are very excited to be able to use this opportunity to positively improve the facilities for not only the members of our Football Club, but for those members of the wider community, further enhancing our reputation as a Club for the Community.”

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 Aylesford Football Club in improving pitches 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.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO FIND FUNDING, CLICK HERE