£9,500 grant to boost grassroots football in Eastbourne

The grant has enabled Eastbourne Sports Park to install brand new state-of-the-art LED floodlights around it’s 3G pitch – one of only two venues in the country to receive the new lighting.

With the addition of a further £70,000 funded by Eastbourne Borough Council, the recent works have also included the resurfacing of its 3G football pitch and the addition of new perimeter fencing.

The improved facilities will provide a better all-weather, day to evening venue for community football amongst all age groups and abilities, from training sessions to competitive play.

The venue already offers a state-of-the-art athletics track, grandstand, multi-use indoor sports hall and LTA accredited indoor tennis centre. A partnership with Albion in the Community also brings Disability Football sessions to the newly revamped 3G pitch.

Councillor Margaret Bannister, Eastbourne Borough Council Lead Cabinet Member for Tourism and Enterprise, said, “This is a great asset for community football and grassroots sport in Eastbourne and our thanks go to the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund for their fantastic support.

“Eastbourne Sports Park is a great leader in developing young athletes, from its LTA accredited tennis centre to Track Active weekend athletics sessions for kids as young as four-years-old. As we head into the winter months, the improvements to the 3G pitch will be a great boost to the many football groups who rely on our facilities for evening practice and all-weather competitive play.”

The Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund aims to improve the experience for regular players as well as attracting new players to the game.

It is delivered by the Football Foundation, the country’s largest sports charity. Founded in 2000, the Football Foundation is the largest sports charity in the UK funded by the Premier League, The FA and Government, via Sport England.

It develops new and refurbished grassroots sports facilities in order to improve the quality and experience of playing sport at the grassroots level.

Since it was launched in 2000, the Foundation has awarded around 15,000 grants worth more than £580m towards improving grassroots sport, which it has used to attract additional partnership funding of over £800m – £1.4bn of investment into the grassroots game.

Paul Thorogood, chief executive of the Football Foundation, said, “Congratulations should go to Sport Eastbourne for working with Sussex County FA to secure this Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund grant”

For more information visit www.sporteastbourne.com/sports-park.