One of Leicestershire’s leading junior football clubs will be unveiling their new sports facilities as players, coaches and officials at Mowbray Rangers formally open their new pavilion. The official ceremony takes place on 3 June at the Asfordby Hill Playing Fields.

With the backing of a £247,238 grant from the UK’s largest sports charity, the Football Foundation the club now boasts a brand new clubhouse, housing eight state of the art changing rooms for both male and female players and match officials, alongside social areas and spectator facilities. The new building has replaced a dilapidated 1950’s cricket pavilion and is expected to provide hundreds of young footballers with more opportunities to play the national game.

The cash boost is part of a £9.4m Community Club Development Programme developed by Sport England, the Government and the Football Association, announced in 2002, to forge stronger links between the country’s leading junior football clubs and their local communities. The Football Foundation was tasked with distributing the funds, which will help to provide quality coaching and safe environments for young people to enjoy the national game.

Peter Lee, Chief Executive of the Foundation welcomed the latest funding for sport in the region:
“Mowbray Rangers deserve immense credit for putting sport at the heart of their community and we are pleased the Foundation, along with our partners, have been able to play a role in boosting football provision in the area.  On behalf of the Foundation I wish the club and the community the very best of luck for their big day and for the seasons to come.”

The Football Foundation is dedicated to revitalising the grass roots of the game, constructing modern football facilities, developing football as a force for social cohesion and as a vehicle for education in communities throughout the country. Funded by the Premier League, the Football Association, Sport England and the Government, the Foundation is the nation's largest sports charity, having already funded 1,300 projects worth over £300 million.

Tim Garfield, Regional Director for Sport England in the East Midlands said,
“We are delighted to make this award to Mowbray Rangers Football Club. The facility is key to the local development of football and we are committed to making sure that the club continues to provide access for the community.

“The Community Club Development Programme represents a new way of working for Sport England whereby national governing bodies are involved in the initial selection of possible projects that should receive funding based on their own strategic plans. Mowbray Rangers Football Club was identified by the Football Association for investment and we are pleased to support this investment which will have a positive effect on the grassroots development of the sport.”

“The Community Club Development Programme is an innovative way of helping to ensure that community clubs – the heart of grass roots sports development in the country - receive the capital investment they need. This is central to achieving our vision of England becoming the most active and successful sporting nation in the world.”