England Football Secures £3m Grassroots Partnership
England Football has launched a £3m partnership with Howdens Kitchens.
The deal will see the UK kitchen supplier collaborate with England Football on improving clubhouse facilities across grassroots football clubs up and down the country.
Howdens’ Game Changer Programme in partnership with England Football will see the company aim to fund £3m worth of kitchens over three years for England Football Accredited grassroots clubs.
The programme has now officially launched its application process which will run throughout April and May.
To help launch the programme, footballers Jill Scott and Chris Kamara have supported the initiative by sharing their own experiences of grassroots football and the importance of clubhouse facilities.
Scott, commented, “I have so many fond memories both on and off the pitch. Over the years I’ve visited hundreds of clubhouses and it’s fair to say the kitchen facilities have certainly varied – from a tiny counter at Boldon Girls (my first club) where I used to spend 20p on a bag of mixed sweets after the game, to a bar serving hot food (including my favourite post-match treat – pizza!) at Marine FC, where we played our Everton matches.
“The kitchen is the hub of the club, bringing together players, supporters and the wider community and that’s why I’m so pleased to be involved with the Howdens Game Changer programme, where grassroots clubs all over the country are set to benefit.”
Kamara, added, “When I started out, clubhouse facilities were pretty basic! I went to many a tournament with just a bag of crisps and some water to keep me going, hoping that the manager would remember to bring the fruit for our half-time snack. And, if we won, we’d often stop off at the chippy on the way home!
“Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then, but many clubhouses still need help to improve much-needed facilities. So, the new kitchens from Howdens will make a real difference to grassroots clubs and bringing local communities together.”
In addition to the partnership with England Football, Howdens have also secured a similar agreement with Irish football’s governing body, the Irish FA.
