It all cheques out for Holbank FC Juniors

Local people in the Southport area are set to get a major sporting boost with the news that they are getting a cash injection of £5,000 from the Football Foundation towards developing new junior football teams.

Holbank Football Club Chairman Richard McGregor will be presented with a large cheque by John Pugh, MP for Southport at 12 noon on 22 August 2010 at Portland Street Playing Fields, Southport.

The Foundation grant will enable Holbank FC to establish junior football teams from Under-7s to Under-16s

Local MP John Pugh commented: “Grants like this are beneficial to the local community. This summer’s World Cup also highlighted the need to find and nurture talent from a young age. Grants for community sports teams will help this to happen and will enable more children to get involved.”

Funded by the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Football Foundation is the nation’s largest sports charity. Launched in July 2000, the Foundation celebrates its tenth anniversary this summer and has so far supported around 8,000 community sports projects worth more than £920m.

Richard McGregorsaid: “Since the July 2009 Holbank FC has been working with local schools to develop the club’s junior programme. The club will have its first junior side in the Craven Minor League next season.

“What our club, Holbank, hopes to do, with the help of the Football Foundation, is make football more accessible to all children in the Southport and surrounding areas. The funding will help us achieve this goal and will benefit our junior players, club, coaches and most importantly the local community. I believe this funding will improve football in Southport and make the most followed sport in the world accessible to all.”

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, added: “This funding is excellent news for the Southport area. Holbank FC and the Liverpool County FA deserve credit their hard work in making this happen.”