£1m New homes Bonus Allocations have been allocated for Community Projects across Cheshire East Borough
Following a robust application, evaluation and allocation process, Cheshire East has this week been able to announce the successful community projects who bid and have been allocated funding from the £1m New Homes Bonus allocation for 2019/20. The scheme was vastly over-subscribed but a further £1m has been allocated for 2020/21.
One of the first groups to receive their allocation this evening was Vale Juniors FC in Congleton.
“Vale Juniors FC has great pleasure in announcing receipt of the very generous grant support of £30,000 from Cheshire East Council from their New Homes Bonus Community Scheme towards the new 3G football pitch at Eaton Bank Academy.
Cheshire East Councillor Paul Bates Cabinet Member for Finance presented the award and Cllrs David Brown and Glen Williams came along to meet the Vale Juniors committee and a selection of players.
This grant has enabled VJFC and Eaton Bank Academy to meet the target of the Football Foundation of match funding that Congleton needed to find. This will mean the football foundation will support the new 3G pitch with additional grant support of over £500,000. The Football Foundation is funded by the Premier League, The FA, Sport England, and the UK Government.
The Congleton Sports Trust has been set up to deliver improved facilities like this new 3G pitch at Eaton Bank Academy which is a top priority project.
The pitch will also allow disability football to be available within Congleton. The demand for disability football is currently being reviewed with Cheshire FA and Vale Juniors FC to see if we can develop disability football for Congleton.
This new 3G football pitch will be on Eaton Bank Academy school grounds and so the school will also benefit from this enhanced facility. The pitch will benefit over 4700 children a year from Vale Juniors FC and Eaton Bank home football matches against the visiting teams.”
