Swadlincote Girls FC Home Ground Hub

The Pitch

Problem statement

We are a growing football club for girls aged 4-16 and run by volunteers. We have a home ground established and a container for equipment. However, our club is growing and we now have almost 150girls a week training. We are needing to purchase more equipment as well as maintain the grass on our pitch and as such as have outgrown the container we have. In addition, with our growing members we need more coaches and volunteers and a 'hub' at our home ground where we can meet and where parents can join us to be part of our growing community. Therefore, our aim is pursue grant funding to enable us to create a community hub for our popular club.

Solution

The goal of our project is create a space that can house our equipment and also create a meeting space where the committee can meet, where we can hold community events and where our supporters can come and be part of our club. The hub would enable us to increase our equipment as we would have more storage and this is essential as our club grows. We have seen a steady increase in membership over the year and we aim to keep growing and promoting our club as the benefits on both the physical and mental health of the players is extremely positive. We have agreed a 5 year lease with the local parish council for the ground which enables us to become an embedded part of the community.

Why are we best placed to deliver?

We are run by volunteers mainly parents of those who train with us and our members take part in the Derby League Matches at weekends. Our volunteers, committee, players and parents show great dedication to the club. Our increase in members shows our popularity and also demonstrates the team/community spirit we have. We are a local club operating in a rural community along with the challenges that brings. Our trained coaches have the skills to make this a success and a dedicated committee is working hard to achieve the aims of the club. Ultimately our community presence is growing and a new hub at our home ground would cement that presence fully.

Focus Areas

Delivery plan

Budget breakdown

Beneficiaries

300 people

Expected impact

The impact of this project would be an increase in membership and expansion of the club to include boys as well as girls. We would look to recruit more volunteers to help us coach and run the club effectively as we grow. We currently have 150 girls training per week who would benefit from this project. Sport England estimate that 100,000 more girls are playing football now compared to 5years ago and an increase in children taking part in sport since Covid 19. In addition the project would benefit the supporters which is estimated at an additional 300people. The support is essential for the players and fosters a community spirit. For some supporters its a lifeline to getting out of the house and speaking to others Gaining more members and expanding our club would give more young people a chance to experience affordable sport, make new friends, build confidence, learn discipline, pride, self esteem, new skills and all whilst contributing to positive physical and mental wellbeing.

Track record

The following case study is an example of just how important sport can be to a young persons wellbeing: Following lock down my daughter started to struggle with Mental health and became very insular and feared the outside world, as she started to believe that if she goes out she will get ill etc etc. This then started to effect her schooling and friendship groups as she found it hard to find friends belonging to a small school. In January 2022, we decided to take her to try football and we were instantly welcomed by coaches, parents and Players alike. Over the space of a month we started to see real changes in her including wanting to get outside more and more, making friends where she now hosts sleepovers and goes to others for sleep overs. Her confidence has gone through the roof as she now talks to anyone who will listen to her, she longs for training days and match days just to see her friends and play sport.