New £742k pitch to help club 'be more inclusive'
BBCA Wiltshire football team has secured or raised nearly three quarters of a million pounds for a bigger floodlit all-weather pitch which it says will make it more inclusive as a club.
AFC Corsham's 40 teams currently have to travel to different venues and pitches including hockey pitches in Chippenham.
The investment in the 3G surface at the club's Leafy Lane Playing Fields includes a £542,298 grant from the Premier League, The FA and the Government's Football Foundation - with the remaining £200,000 raised by the club and local community.
Director Andy Simpson said: "I am hugely proud of the achievements we've made as a club, and proud of how the community has got behind it."
A contractor is in place to build the new 97m x 61m pitch, which will be used for matchdays and training, this summer.
Central to the plans is a commitment to expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups, particularly within the women's and girls' game in Corsham.
The new facility, which will cost £742,000 overall, will also support the introduction of a PAN Disability youth team and help provide a clear pathway into adult football for all.
Former club chairman said he is "committed to a pathway" linking AFC Corsham to Corsham Town FC so youth football have a clear path to follow and talent can be grown locally.
The new pitch will be used by AFC Corsham, local schools and private hirers who will be able to check the website for availability to use the pitch.
It's hoped players could be using the new surface before the end of the year.
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