Your guide to...
Publicising your opening
You’re now tantalisingly close to the finish whistle and it’s time to start think about an official opening of your pitch. Here’s everything you need to make the most of it.
A special message from the Lionesses
Website
Press
Reaching out to local media
To compile a media list, all you need to do is search online for: “local newspaper contacts in *insert county/city*”.
This will return the Contact Us web pages of numerous outlets. For example, you can see the results when searching “local media contacts in Hampshire” here.
Collate the Newsdesk and Editor contact details for outlets in your area and then email the press release to these contacts.
We would also recommend taking some high resolution (i.e. good enough quality and size to be used for print media) photos of your new pitch to send with the press release and to use on social media.
Be sure to take a variety of shots capturing the facilities as they will help highlight the impact the investment is going to make (e.g. people playing on them, floodlights etc). Given that you have received a Lionesses Futures Fund grant, it would be ideal to have photos of women and girls using your facilities front and centre.
Below is some recommended wording to use in your covering email when sending the press release out to local media contacts.
Hello,
I am sure you will be interested to know that a new 3G pitch has just opened at*insert site name*, thanks to funding from the Premier League, The FA and Government's Football Foundation.
Attached is a press release with more information about this and some high res photos of the facilities.
Please feel free to get in touch with *insert name, position at club/organisation and telephone number/email* if you would like to know anything else about the project.
Kind regards,
Social Media
Example social media posts
Once you've downloaded the social media assets above, attach the graphic to your post and add some supporting text. We’ve given you some options below but feel free to put your own spin on it and make it more personal to your club.
Facebook:
Our new @FootballFoundtion Lionesses Futures Fund site is officially open!
A massive thanks to the @premierleague, @England Football and @Department for Culture, Media and Sport's Football Foundation for making our dream a reality. 💚
Our facility will be gold standard for women and girls’ playing football, with well-lit spaces welcoming changing rooms and priority access for peak-time slots. ⚽️
Twitter (X):
Our new @FootballFoundtion Lionesses Futures Fund site is officially open!
A massive thanks to the @premierleague, @FA and @DCMS's Football Foundation for making our dream a reality. 💚
Our facility will be gold standard for women and girls’ playing football, with well-lit spaces welcoming changing rooms and priority access for peak-time slots. ⚽️
Instagram:
Our new @FootballFoundtn Lionesses Futures Fund site is officially open!
A massive thanks to the @premierleague, @englandfootball and @dcmsgovuk's Football Foundation for making our dream a reality. 💚
Our facility will be gold standard for women and girls’ playing football, with well-lit spaces welcoming changing rooms and priority access for peak-time slots. ⚽️
Inviting local politicians
Contact details
You can find the contact details of your local MP’s office by clicking on this link and typing in your relevant post code.
You can find the contact details of your local Councillors by clicking on this link and typing in your relevant post code.
If you live in London or in one of England’s nine Combined Authorities, you can find the contact details of your local Metro Mayor on this link.