THERE’S good news for Frome as local football club Frome Collegians have been awarded a Pitch Preparation Fund grant from the Premier League, The FA and the Government’s Football Foundation.
The Pitch Preparation Fund was set up in support of the game, which is currently facing unprecedented challenges because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The funding will enable Frome Collegians, who have adult and youth teams, to prepare their football pitches so that they are match-fit for when it is safe to play football again, following Government advice.
They can use their grant towards to help pay for the cost of materials, work such as verti-draining, chain harrowing, rolling, over-seeding, fertilising, weed-killing, and routine preparatory work such as grass cutting and the setting out and line-marking of pitches.
Clubs and other organisations are also being given access to the Football Foundation Groundskeeping Community. This is a free online resource the Foundation developed with The FA and the Grounds Management Association, containing advice and guidance. Anyone in Frome can sign up at https://thefa.hivelearning.com/groundskeeping.
Karl Freeman, manager of the Frome Collegians adult side who play in the Wiltshire Senior Football League, said: “We are very grateful to have been selected for funding from the Football Foundation. The club’s primary income is from sponsors, match fees and other donations, so any extra funding we can get really does help us to continue providing football in the town, something we have been doing now for 45 years. This grant from the Football Foundation will go a long way to ensuring our adult and youth team pitches can continue to be maintained and prepared, not just now, but in to the future too. It hopefully won’t be too much longer now until we can get back out on the pitch with our sides and doing what we love – football. Of course, this will be very different due to the COVID-19 pandemic and all training sessions will be operated in accordance with club, FA and government advice, but I for one cannot wait to get back into it!”
Robert Sullivan, Interim Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “This is a vital grant to help Frome Collegians get their pitches match-fit.
“The Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation exists to help provide quality infrastructure at the lower-levels of the game. Pitch Preparation Fund grants like this one are giving a helping hand to clubs across the country to get their playing surfaces ready for when the game is allowed to begin again following government advice.”
The Football Foundation is a charity funded by the Premier League, The FA and the Government, through Sport England.
