People living in Rastrick are set to benefit from fresh investment into local football facilities. Rastrick Junior FC has been awarded a grant from the Premier League, The FA, and Government’s Football Foundation, to build a purpose-built clubhouse at their Carr Green home.

The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports charity and exists to improve the experience of playing football for everyone, by championing fair access to quality facilities.

In addition to the grant from the Football Foundation, the project is only possible thanks to further grants from Rastrick Big Local, The Garfield Weston Foundation, with the Club investing a significant sum as well.

These grants will enable Rastrick Junior FC, which plays in the Huddersfield and District Junior Football League and gives over 400 girls and boys aged between 4 and 18 the chance to play football each week, to finally secure clubhouse & changing room facilities, that is not only for the club but the wider Rastrick Community.

Players and parents will be able to enjoy communal social and learning areas, a kitchen and servery, internal and external viewing platforms, and of course changing rooms and toilets, which will represent a significant improvement on the existing facility provisions, which is currently a shipping container and mobile canteen on matchdays.

Rastrick Junior FC worked in conjunction with Mark Woodhall from Facility & Sports Club Development with assistance from the Football Foundation, Calderdale Council and the West Riding County FA to secure a £247,090.00 grant towards the project which totals nearly £300,00.00.

Martin Ford, Chairman of the Trustees & Committee of Rastrick Junior FC said: “This award allows the Club to finally have a building that is fit for purpose, providing basic facilities such as toilets, so that we can continue to improve the work we do for young people as well as the wider community.

The last two years have been tough, and we have seen off unwanted visitors, a pandemic and the fear of our children losing interest, but our amazing volunteer force has been unwavering in its determination to see the club thrive.

We are very proud of our history but are forward-looking and ambitious for the future. The Clubhouse represents an exciting and important progression for the club.
Our Carr Green home is unique in the local area and will provide the basis for the club to develop the quality of provision for the children of Rastrick and the surrounding area for generations to come.”

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “This grant award to Rastrick Junior FC towards developing a clubhouse and changing rooms is great news for the local community.

It will support people’s ability to play our national game locally and therefore help unlock football’s many benefits to physical and mental wellbeing. That’s why we’re committed to transforming the face of grassroots football facilities in this country. It’s therefore very welcome news to hear that this funding will support Rastrick Junior FC in developing the new clubhouse and changing rooms for their local community.

The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA, government and Sport England – to support facility development projects like this across the country over the next decade to transform our grassroots game and unlock the power of pitches.”

The project is set to start immediately.