Investing in grassroots facilities is helping transform the nation from the roots up
Thanks to funding from the Premier League, The FA and Govt, the Football Foundation is delivering outstanding grassroots facilities to help change lives on and off the pitch. Let me go through a few of what excellent work they do:
- The Football Foundation's investment enables more people to get active and connect with others - helping to support physical health and mental wellbeing and relieve pressure on the NHS.
- The Hubs Programme delivers multi-millions-pound projects across the country to create large-scale Hubs that not only provide quality sports facilities, but also a space for the local community to come together.
- Grassroots football helps prevent over 200,000 cases of physical and mental health disorders in adults every year.
- Grassroots sports contributes to the prevention of 10,000 crimes a year.
- Active Through Football programme funded by the National Lottery is helping the most deprived and inactive communities in the country to enjoy all the benefits of sport in a way that suits them.
- Playing grassroots sport has been shown to boost a graduate's salary by 5%.
- Here to Play is a Lioness legacy programme funding facilities that provide equal access for women and girls football.
- By 2025, over 90% of the Foundation's investment will be supporting the most inactive groups become more active.
- Every £ invested through the Foundation is returned in the form of social value within 9 years.
- Our PitchPower web app is helping to get grass pitches match fit across the country.
- Our investment provides £20 million in the form of physical and mental wellbeing benefits every single year.
- Playzones tackle inequalities in physical activity and access to facilities by funding community-led spaces.
And on a more local note - let's go through the Local Football Facility Plan in Hillingdon:
- 4 artificial grass pitches.
- 41 natural grass pitches.
- 10 changing pavilions.
- 8 small sided facilities.
- £8,840,625 total project cost.
Since 2000, Football Foundation funding in Hillingdon is as follows:
- 32 grants.
- £2,238,244 total grant value.
- Click the attachment below to see the priority project list.
It was fantastic to attend the Parliamentary drop-in supporting grassroots football, and meeting the legend that is Emile Heskey!
