Five Flintshire football facilities win share of £1.2million grassroots sports investment

Five football facilities in Flintshire have landed a share of £1.2 million from the UK Government, joining a nationwide initiative to bolster grassroots sports.

The UK government’s grassroots facilities investment programme, in partnership with the Cymru Football Foundation, is providing funding to 43 locations across Wales.

The aim is to increase the availability and access to high-quality facilities for football, hockey and other grassroots sports. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The latest beneficiaries include prominent Flintshire facilities such as Flint Town United FC’s Essity Stadium, which received more than £40,000 for new floodlights and £10,000 for pitch maintenance.

Grants have also been awarded to Saltney Town FC for new fencing to deter vandalism, Buckley Town FC for pitch maintenance, and both Deeside Leisure Centre and the Quay 3G for pitch upkeep and new goalposts.

In total, the five Flintshire facilities will receive just over £100,000.

Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer expressed the UK government’s commitment to expanding access to sports, citing the importance for the nation’s physical and mental health.

She said, “Today we are delivering 43 new and improved grassroots sports facilities across Wales…We will continue to work with the Football Association Wales to nurture the future talent whilst making sure local communities have the sporting facilities that they need.”

In line with the broader goal of the programme, at least half of the total investment will be directed towards underprivileged areas, promoting equitable access to community sports facilities.

The Secretary of State for Wales, David TC Davies, celebrated the benefits of the funding, noting it will enable “future generations of sportspeople to develop their skills.”

He expressed his delight that funds are reaching communities across Wales, acknowledging the ongoing collaboration with the Football Association of Wales.

To ensure a diverse range of sports and groups benefit, 40% of the funding will be used for multi-sport facilities.

A key focus of the programme is increasing participation among underrepresented groups, including women, girls, and individuals with disabilities.

Noel Mooney, CEO of the Football Association of Wales, hailed the new facilities investment as an example of how they are raising the standard of grassroots football across the nation.

He said: “At the Football Association of Wales, we are focussed on driving up the standard of grassroots football facilities across Cymru and to supporting football clubs to be community hubs bringing social, health and economic benefits to the areas they serve.”

“The investment in new facilities through the Cymru Football Foundation, which has been made possible through the funding from DCMS, is a prime example of this work.”

This round of investment builds on the £1.3 million confirmed last year, in total of 60 sites in Wales have benefitted to date.

By 2025, Wales will receive more than £13 million, fostering the talent of tomorrow and ensuring a bright future for Welsh sports.