{"id":224346,"date":"2023-11-15T19:53:55","date_gmt":"2023-11-15T19:53:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allworldreport.com\/?p=224346"},"modified":"2023-11-15T19:53:55","modified_gmt":"2023-11-15T19:53:55","slug":"grassroots-football-scores-millions-so-any-kid-can-play-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allworldreport.com\/sport\/grassroots-football-scores-millions-so-any-kid-can-play-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Grassroots football scores \u00a3millions so any kid can play | The Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE NATION\u2019S grassroots football clubs are the heartbeat of the game. They are also a vital part of every local community.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

But clubs are suffering. The cost of living crisis means there\u2019s less and less money to go round. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Kit, equipment, league affiliation fees, match subs, referees \u2013 it all adds up.<\/p>\n

Supporters often go above and beyond to raise money.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tesco\u2019s community grants have supported thousands of small community projects since 2016, including more than 6,000 schools, over 2,000 sports teams and 2,300 youth organisations.<\/p>\n

Programmes like Bags of Help, which used money raised from the carrier bag charge, have supported thousands of local projects and clubs like Mendip Broadwalk FC.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cGrants are massively important to little clubs like ours,\u201d says Andy Williams, club secretary and president of Bristol-based Mendip Broadwalk FC. \u201cEspecially in a deprived area of Bristol, because you can\u2019t keep going cap in hand to players and parents \u2013 they don\u2019t have the money to spare.\u201d<\/p>\n

This summer, Tesco launched its new grant programme Stronger Starts, which is committing a further \u00a35.3million to schools and children\u2019s groups to fund healthy food and activities this year.<\/p>\n

Tesco runs the scheme with the help of Groundwork, a charity that works with corporate businesses and the public sector to identify deserving community projects.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been working with Tesco for seven years now, making sure their commitment to communities reaches the people who need the help the most,\u201d says Graham Duxbury, chief executive of Groundwork.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe also have a network of local community workers across the country who are on hand to promote the Stronger Starts programme, to help groups who might be struggling to apply.\u201d<\/p>\n

From his living room Andy Williams can see the junior team trophies of Mendip Broadwalk FC proudly on display in a family home on the street where he lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople ask me why I still do it after 20 years,\u201d says 57-year-old Andy. \u201cSeeing the little faces of the junior team players at the end-of-season awards is why. It makes it all worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

People are struggling \u2013 we do our best to put a smile on their faces<\/p>\n

Mendip Broadwalk FC is based in Knowle West, one of Bristol\u2019s most deprived areas. Money is tight here, and there are social issues and gangs. So Tesco\u2019s grant made a real difference.<\/p>\n

The club is a focus for the community and an outlet and a haven for youngsters. However, subs and affiliation fees are a challenge for some players and parents.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are struggling, so we do our best to put a smile on their faces,\u201d says Andy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t pressurise anyone about money. No one is refused to play. We look to help them as best we can.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fact that over 5,000 schools and groups, just like Mendip Broadwalk FC, have already applied to Tesco Stronger Starts since its summer launch, shows how much these schemes are needed right now.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe grants we allocate this year mean we can help over 1 million young people to thrive in thousands of schools, breakfast clubs, after-school clubs and sports clubs, and create positivity across our local communities,\u201d says Christine Heffernan, Tesco group communications director.<\/p>\n

Every Tesco store provides information about applicants, with customers able to vote using blue tokens given out at checkouts.<\/p>\n

Anyone can apply, including customers and staff. The more detail in the application \u2013 particularly how the funds will be used \u2013 the better.<\/p>\n

Every three months the group that receives the most blue tokens is given a grant of up to \u00a31,500, with the lucky winner invited to the store to receive a cheque and celebrate the moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur stores have always been at the heart of every community we serve,\u201d says Christine.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re proud that, together, we can help make a difference in our customers\u2019 communities and to their friends and family.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The supermarket has also teamed up with The Sun\u2019s Footie For All to help identify the local clubs most in need.<\/p>\n

The newspaper launched the campaign after charity Sported revealed that 94 per cent of clubs nationwide are struggling and that young players were dropping out because their parents could not cover costs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know there is a demand in many areas of the country for resources to help kids get into football,\u201d says Christine.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we felt it was important to team up with The Sun to extend the reach of our Stronger Starts funding to grants that ensure any child can play football if they wish, taking away the worry about paying for subs or kit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clubs like Mendip Broadwalk FC do a vital job in keeping kids off the street, encouraging them to play sport and to get fit, things that can sustain them for life.<\/p>\n

The club has also just started a girls\u2019 side for under-sevens (some older girls play in mixed sides). Even better, the under-18s will soon have the chance to play under the senior side\u2019s floodlights.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of pride in this place,\u201d says Andy. \u201cSometimes I walk down the road, and players you coached ten years ago come up and have a chat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re still very fond of the club, even if they\u2019re no longer playing football.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly important to us that children aren\u2019t missing out on opportunities to exercise, stay healthy and try out activities or sports because the options they have are limited or they don\u2019t have the financial means,\u201d says Christine.<\/p>\n

Every club is a winner with Tesco Stronger Starts.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

To find out more, head to tescoplc.com\/strongerstarts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

THE NATION\u2019S grassroots football clubs are the heartbeat of the game. They are also a vital part…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":224345,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nGrassroots football scores \u00a3millions so any kid can play | The Sun - All World Report<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/allworldreport.com\/sport\/grassroots-football-scores-millions-so-any-kid-can-play-the-sun\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Grassroots football scores \u00a3millions so any kid can play | The Sun - All World Report\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"THE NATION\u2019S grassroots football clubs are the heartbeat of the game. 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