Thanks to a £513,610 grant from the Premier League, The FA and government’s Football Foundation, Tamworth will benefit from a fresh investment into local football facilities.
This investment, awarded to Tamworth Borough Council will deliver a new all-weather flood-lit 3G football pitch within the existing Anker Valley Sports and Community Complex, offering opportunities for local clubs and others all round access to high quality facilities.
Along with the new pitch, the work will see new pitch barriers, hardstanding areas with porous asphalt surfacing for spectators, portable goals storage, pitch access to existing changing room pavilion, sports equipment including dugouts and site furniture, maintenance equipment and store located within a fenced enclosure.
The project will benefit local children, young people, adults and elderly residents with targeted active wellbeing sessions, walking football, development centres and provide junior footballers with a state-of-the-art facility for sanctioned fixtures.
The new pitch will also see a commitment to delivering facilities that provide equal access to women and girls playing football across Tamworth. Building on the recent success of the national team, the venue will host development sessions such as wildcats and squad girls and enable women and girls to train and play competitive football, providing ample opportunity for the next generation of Lionesses.
These improved facilities will represent a significant improvement on the existing facility which is prone to waterlogging and subsequent fixture cancellations.
The site will be used by local grassroots clubs, community organisations and open to all members of the community.
This project has also been supported by an additional £269,882 from section 106 monies and £30,000 from Tamworth Borough Council’s football development fund.
Councillor Andrew Cooper cabinet member entertainment and leisure said:
“Tamworth Borough Council are delighted that Anker Valley Complex has been highlighted in the Football Foundations’ Local Football Facilities Plan as a priority project, with the refurbishment of the complex including a new LED Floodlit 3G pitch.
“Anker Valley Sports Complex has been an active secured stand-alone football facility since opening in the 1970s. This new 3G pitch will offer more teams opportunities to train midweek and weekends and a suitable pitch for years to come. Including opportunity to expand representation in the sport of women and girls.
“The flexibility of the complex will also offer daytime provision for multiple under-represented groups and help deliver the council’s plan to encourage active and healthier lifestyles by providing a network of high quality, accessible outdoor recreation facilities.
“The huge success of the 3G pitch at the Tamworth Enterprise College, which has run at capacity since it was opened in September 2020, has led to the support from the Football Foundation to help meet the current demand within our area and offer a facility that our community can enjoy and greatly benefit from.”
Notes:
About the Football Foundation
The Football Foundation is the Premier League, The FA and Government’s charity which delivers outstanding grassroots facilities, more and better places to play, transforming lives and communities where it’s needed the most.
The Foundation’s goal is to unlock the power of pitches to transform lives and strengthen communities, ensuring everyone has a great place to play regardless of gender, race, disability or place.
Since its creation in 2000, the Foundation has awarded more than 23,000 grants to improve facilities worth more than £877 million – including 1,000 artificial grass pitches, 11,000 natural grass pitches and 1,300 changing rooms. This has attracted an additional £1.23bn of partnership funding – totalling over £2 billion investment in grassroots football so far.
In partnership with local authorities, County FAs and other community stakeholders, the Foundation has created Local Football Facility Plans for every local authority in England. These Plans act as a blueprint for providing the grassroots football facility improvements that each community needs and deserves across the country.
Visit footballfoundation.org.uk for more information on the Foundation and view the Plan for your local area.