Football in Wiltshire was given a boost today with £25,000 worth of investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.

The funding is being awarded as grants from the Foundation’s Club Preparation Fund.  This has been created to help clubs prepare their buildings to safely reopen in line with Government guidance around hygiene and social distancing, and The FA’s plans for a ‘phased return’ that were announced on 18 July. 

50 grants were awarded to clubs across Wiltshire totalling £25,000.  This will benefit 436 local football teams across the county.

These Club Preparation Fund grants will go towards football sites to satisfy the extra hygiene measures that Government guidance requires.  This includes:

• Installing hygiene facilities, such as hand sanitiser dispensers, soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers and waste bins
• Modifications, such as safety screening, contactless payment systems and signage
• Facility maintenance work, such as repairing hand basins and hot water provision
• Professional inspections that may be necessary due to the prolonged period of closure resulting from the pandemic – including inspections of water quality, gas and ventilation.

Mark Young, Football Development Manager at Wiltshire FA said: “It is great to see this support for football clubs and organisations to help them prepare for a safe return of the game.

“We are delighted that football is on its way back, the game is so important to our communities, this grant means our clubs can return in a safe manner, ready for the new season.”

The investment follows the Foundation’s Pitch Preparation Fund that awarded £7m to 2,902 organizations across the country.  This is enabling over 9,000 football pitches to be made match-fit, and is benefiting more than 33,000 football teams.

The Football Foundation is a charity funded by the Premier League, The FA and the Government, through Sport England.