People living in the Glossopdale area are set to benefit from fresh investment into local football and community facilities.

Glossop North End Community Club have been awarded a grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation to deliver a new full-size 3G football turf pitch (FTP), a new community clubhouse with changing facilities, as well as improvements to the infrastructure at their Cemetery Road site.

This grant will enable Glossop North End Community Club, which has over 600 playing members, to train and play at its own FTP and provide the Club with a new clubhouse. Both these will represent significant improvements on the existing pitch and changing room provision at Cemetery Road, which are prone to waterlogging and are in need of renovation respectively.

The venue will be known as the Glossop Community Sports Hub. Once completed, the hub will also provide state of the art sport and community facilities for grassroots leagues, sports groups and local community organisations, as well as a legacy for the area for years to come.

The Football Foundation has approved a capital grant offer of £1.56 million to Derbyshire County Council and Glossop North End Community Club, which will cover 66% of the total £2.4 million project cost. Works will include the construction of a new floodlit 3G FTP and two-team changing pavilion, including enabling works, drainage, site access and car parking.

The Club itself injected £165k towards the scheme via its own fund-raising initiatives and this was further supported by significant contributions from High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council, Derbyshire County FA, Sporting Capital and Sport England.

David Rowlinson, Chairman at Glossop North End Community Club, said: “This investment is fantastic news for the Club, grassroots football and the local community. To get to this stage has taken over 5 years of work, so everyone connected to the Club and the project is delighted to see works commencing and be ready, weather permitting, for later in 2023.”

“The Community Club now has its own home. Grassroots football and sport and physical activity more broadly, have significant benefits for all its participants, making them happier and healthier. With this new facility, the Club will deliver lifechanging and sustainable benefits for the area as well as having positive economic and social value.”

“The site has suffered from a lack of significant investment over several years, with poor quality pitches and a dilapidated changing room building. We are delighted that the Football Foundation has recognised this with their Grant and that they are investing in us as a Club in providing a better and safer place to support local community initiatives and grassroots football.”

“Derbyshire County Council have granted the Club a 35-year lease on the site and thanks go to its Officers and in particular former Cllrs George and Jean Wharmby, who has been huge supporters of the project from its out-set.”

“There is a Community Use Agreement in place ensuring the Club works alongside local partners, schools, sports clubs and community organisations, to make the venue a true community hub and help to improve the health and wellbeing of the area’s residents.”

Cllr Damien Greenhalgh, Deputy Leader of High Peak Borough Council and Executive Councillor for Regeneration, Tourism and Leisure, said “I am delighted to join everyone to mark this exciting milestone in this fantastic project, which hasn't had an easy ride. I am especially thrilled therefore to see work getting started on these new facilities which I know will make such a big difference to the local community across Glossopdale. I cannot wait to see the finished article.”

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.”

“Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.”

“This grant award to Glossop North End Community Club towards developing a new 3G FTP is fantastic news for the local community and will help give more people access to a great place to play.”

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