Football in Lincolnshire was given a boost today with £45,500 worth of investment from the Premier League, The FA and the Government’s Football Foundation.

The funding is being awarded as grants from the Foundation’s Club Preparation Fund. This has been created to help clubs prepare their buildings to safely reopen in line with Government guidance around hygiene and social distancing, and The FA’s plans for a ‘phased return’ that were announced on 18 July.  

91 grants were awarded to clubs across Lincolnshire totalling £45,500. This will benefit 795 local football teams across the county.

These Club Preparation Fund grants will go towards football sites to satisfy the extra hygiene measures that Government guidance requires. This includes:

• Installing hygiene facilities, such as hand sanitiser dispensers, soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers and waste bins
• Modifications, such as safety screening, contactless payment systems and signage
• Facility maintenance work, such as repairing hand basins and hot water provision
• Professional inspections that may be necessary due to the prolonged period of closure resulting from the pandemic – including inspections of water quality, gas and ventilation

The investment follows the Foundation’s Pitch Preparation Fund that awarded £7m to 2,902 organisations across the country. This is enabling over 9,000 football pitches to be made match-fit, and is benefiting more than 33,000 football teams.

Adam Thurston, Football Development Manager at Lincolnshire FA, said: “After an extended break from the grassroots game which none of us were expecting, we’re delighted to see our clubs finally preparing for a return to outdoor, competitive football. However, it’s vital that this is done in a safe, hygienic and Covid-19 secure environment, with suitable protocols in place. This is an unprecedented situation we’re all facing but with fantastic financial support from the Football Foundation and the hard work of our county’s outstanding volunteers, I’m sure we’ll see grassroots football in Lincolnshire thriving again soon.”  

The successful clubs being offered Club Preparation Fund grants are:

• North Hykeham War Memorial Hall & Playing Filed Trust
• Grimsby Borough Juniors F.C.
• Boston College FC 
• Bull Athletic F.C.
• Kirton Town F.C.
• Barrowby Junior F.C.
• Louth Town FC
• Stamford Lions Football Club F.C.
• West Marsh Development Trust Association Ltd
• Bradley Football Development Centre
• Baston Playing Fields Management Committee
• Blackstones F.C.
• Railway Athletic F.C.
• Immingham Town F.C.
• Moulton Chapel FC
• Benington FC
• Bottesford Town FC
• Grimsby Borough (Ladies) F.C.
• Rippingale & Folkingham FC
• Burgh Athletic F.C.
• Holbeach Bank F.C.
• Keelby United F.C.
• AFC Colsterworth
• Holbeach United F.C.
• Spalding Harriers F.C.
• Alford Town FC
• Barton Junior Football Club F.C.
• Ropsley Village Hall
• Epworth Town Colts AFC
• Appleby Frodingham F.C.
• Fulbeck United F.C.
• Spilsby Juniors F.C.
• Winterton Rangers F.C.
• Grimsby Borough (Ladies) F.C.
• Bourne Town F.C.
• Boston Town FC
• Scotter United F.C.
• Fishtoft F.C.
• NECI FC
• Swineshead Institute F.C.
• Nobody Inn Athletic F.C.
• Ruston Sports F.C.
• Mablethorpe Athletic Sports F.C.
• Pinchbeck United Sports  F.C.
• Scredington Veterans FC
• Grimsby Town Sports and Education Trust
• Metheringham F.C
• Cleethorpes Town FC
• Thurlby Tigers FC
• Healing Hotspurs FC
• Long Bennington F.C.
• Brigg Town FC CIC (Community Interest Club)
• Grantham Town FC
• Swifts Junior F.C.
• Gainsborough Trinity Foundation F.C.
• Tetney Rovers F.C.
• Boston United FC
• Freiston F.C.
• Lincoln Moorlands Railway AFC
• Crowle Colts F.C.
• Immingham Pilgrims AFC
• Bourne Town Juniors F.C.
• Gonerby Youth FC
• Spalding United FC
• Scotter Juniors F.C.
• FC Wrangle
• Welton F.C.
• Woodhall Spa United F.C.
• Moulton Harrox F.C.
• Park Tigers J.F.C
• Sutton Rovers Fc (Saturday)
• Lincoln United FC
• Barnetby United F.C. (Saturday)
• Deeping Rangers F.C
• Deeping United F.C.
• Holbeach United Youth F.C.
• Greenbank J.F.C.
• North Thoresby FC
• Barton Town FC
• Skegness Town A.F.C.
• Epworth Town Colts AFC
• Park United FC (Boston)
• Pinchbeck United Saturday F.C.
• Navenby J.F.C.
• Wyberton F.C.
• Bears FC
• Horncastle Town FC
• Stamford AFC
• Sutton Bridge United F.C.
• Messingham Juniors F.C.
• Harrowby United F.C.