The days of young footballers having to play on pitches the same size as those used by adults will soon be a thing of the past however the move to a more child-friendly environment means substantial additional costs for grassroots clubs.
Northallerton Town Juniors recently managed to acquire an additional site, ideal for the booming number of boys and girls enjoying the sport but now face the cost of buying and maintaining suitable size goals and nets all year round.
“It’s great to have so many youngsters wanting to play the game, however that does mean a lot of work trying to find the additional coaches and funding the facilities and equipment required,” said James Lofthouse, Chairman and Coach at the North Yorkshire club.
Northallerton Town Juniors have now launched a fundraising drive to keep providing new nets for their goals which cover four different sizes. A £500 grant from Broadacres’ Community Development Fund will help them reach their goal.
“There’s a lot of expense in running a grassroots football club and generous donations such as this one from Broadacres help us to keep subscription rates for children as low as possible,” said James.
And James believes the benefits to young people of regular sport are more than just physical.
“Participation also helps children to build friendships, gain confidence as an individual and learn leadership and many other life skills for the future,” he said.
To find out more about Northallerton Jnrs FC visit https://ntjfc.co.uk/
The Broadacres Community Development Fund supports local organisations, groups, and projects in areas where Broadacres has homes. All grants are approved by the Association’s own residents.
To apply to the fund click here.
Share on:
Share Tweet