CHESTER FC have fought off stiff competition to secure a five-figure grant which will benefit both the club and the community.
The Blues have netted £65,000 from the new Adult and Community Learning Fund, which was set up to help the Government realise its ‘Big Society’ aspirations.
It is a major off-the-field coup for the supporter-owned Blues, who were the only football club to make a successful bid. More than 2,400 applications were made but only 59 grants were awarded – so Chester officials are delighted the hard work they put in to securing the money has paid off.
The grant will go towards launching a major training programme for the many volunteers who are eager to assist with the running of the Blues, leading to the creation of a learning ‘hub’ for the whole community.
David Evans, Chester FC’s director of communications, was one of the driving forces behind the successful bid.
He said: “Our recent survey of our 2,800 members showed that hundreds of supporters are willing to volunteer to help the club.
“This could be anything from helping in the office to promoting the club in the community. The fund will give us the capacity to take up all the offers that have been made, organise activities that will be useful and enjoyable for supporters to participate in, and continue to build our club in the community.”
The Blues plan to appoint a full-time learning coordinator for the project, which will run from September to March.
Mr Evans said: “We would like to hear from anyone who has a background in adult learning and might be excited by the prospect of working with us to provide informal learning for our volunteers. Being a supporter-led, volunteer-based club is central to our values.”
Chester’s bid received ‘superb backing’ from the local council and club sponsors the Chester and District Housing Trust, Mr Evans added.
Geoff Russell, chief executive of the Skills Funding Agency, said: “Each project that has secured funding will make a tremendous difference to the lives of individuals and to the communities they are part of.”
Details of the job opportunity and other aspects of the bid are available on Chester FC’s official website (www.pitchero.com/clubs/chesterfootballclub).
