Opening Ceremony At West
Wed 14th October 2015 | West Didsbury & Chorlton | By Ian Templeman
West Didsbury & Chorlton rounded off a memorable week last Saturday when their new grass pitches and facilities for junior and youth football were declared open.
The opening ceremony was conducted by Jeff Smith, MP for Manchester Withington, and was attended by many parents and children from the club’s new junior section, local Councillors for Chorlton and Chorlton Park wards, and representatives of the Friends of Chorlton Meadows.
A total of £66,263 was spent in developing four new pitches at the site, including a £43,263 grant from the Premier League & the FA Facilities Fund, which provides grants towards developing new or refurbished grassroots football facilities.
The new pitches adjoin the club’s existing ground and provide for another full size and 3 new junior grass pitches of differing sizes.
Jeff Smith said: “It was a joy to mark the official opening of these new real grass pitches in Chorlton. This development will be of tremendous benefit and use to the local community for many years to come and thanks must go to the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund for its generous investment into my constituency.
“Everyone involved in this project, from West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC, Lancashire FA and the Football Foundation, deserve great credit for making these new pitches possible. I look forward to seeing local sport go from strength to strength over the coming years.”
Glyn Meacher, West Didsbury & Chorlton Chairman said: “We are grateful to Jeff Smith MP for taking time out to open our new facilities and also to the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund and our other contributors, for supporting us in meeting our vision of having an integrated community club with many of our teams playing and training in this location and improving opportunities for grassroots sport in Chorlton and the surrounding areas.”
Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “I am delighted that a grant from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund has enabled West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC to develop the new pitches and provide a real boost to local sport.
“Since 2000, the Football Foundation has supported grassroots projects worth more than £1.3bn, investing into areas where the need is greatest and where it will have the biggest impact in terms of getting more people playing football and a wide range of other sports.
“With this funding, provided by the Premier League, The FA and the Government, through Sport England, we are helping to improve community sports facilities across the country and thereby the playing experience of those who take part.
"This latest project in Chorlton is the latest addition to the inventory of modern community sports sites we are developing that cater for the needs of local people, who want to play sport purely for the love if it and to stay healthy.”
The pitches will host sides from Under-8 to Under-16 level, with one new full-size pitch being allocated for the club’s Under-18 youth team and adult ‘A’ team.
Jeff Smith MP is pictured at the opening ceremony with members of West's junior teams.
Opening Ceremony At West
Wed 14th October 2015 | West Didsbury & Chorlton
By Ian Templeman
West Didsbury & Chorlton rounded off a memorable week last Saturday when their new grass pitches and facilities for junior and youth football were declared open.
The opening ceremony was conducted by Jeff Smith, MP for Manchester Withington, and was attended by many parents and children from the club’s new junior section, local Councillors for Chorlton and Chorlton Park wards, and representatives of the Friends of Chorlton Meadows.
A total of £66,263 was spent in developing four new pitches at the site, including a £43,263 grant from the Premier League & the FA Facilities Fund, which provides grants towards developing new or refurbished grassroots football facilities.
The new pitches adjoin the club’s existing ground and provide for another full size and 3 new junior grass pitches of differing sizes.
Jeff Smith said: “It was a joy to mark the official opening of these new real grass pitches in Chorlton. This development will be of tremendous benefit and use to the local community for many years to come and thanks must go to the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund for its generous investment into my constituency.
“Everyone involved in this project, from West Didsbury and Chorlton AFC, Lancashire FA and the Football Foundation, deserve great credit for making these new pitches possible. I look forward to seeing local sport go from strength to strength over the coming years.”
Glyn Meacher, West Didsbury & Chorlton Chairman said: “We are grateful to Jeff Smith MP for taking time out to open our new facilities and also to the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund and our other contributors, for supporting us in meeting our vision of having an integrated community club with many of our teams playing and training in this location and improving opportunities for grassroots sport in Chorlton and the surrounding areas.”
Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “I am delighted that a grant from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund has enabled West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC to develop the new pitches and provide a real boost to local sport.
“Since 2000, the Football Foundation has supported grassroots projects worth more than £1.3bn, investing into areas where the need is greatest and where it will have the biggest impact in terms of getting more people playing football and a wide range of other sports.
“With this funding, provided by the Premier League, The FA and the Government, through Sport England, we are helping to improve community sports facilities across the country and thereby the playing experience of those who take part.
"This latest project in Chorlton is the latest addition to the inventory of modern community sports sites we are developing that cater for the needs of local people, who want to play sport purely for the love if it and to stay healthy.”
The pitches will host sides from Under-8 to Under-16 level, with one new full-size pitch being allocated for the club’s Under-18 youth team and adult ‘A’ team.
Jeff Smith MP is pictured at the opening ceremony with members of West's junior teams.
