Great news for football in the Torbay area as Torquay United WFC are celebrating receiving funding from the Premier League to help them prepare for the restart of football and safe return of supporters to their stadium.
The Matchday Support Fund grant will help Torquay United WFC put in place measures that will make their ground safer for the 2020/21 season given the challenges caused by COVID-19.
Club Treasurer and Manager of Torquay United WFC 2nd Team Stephen Elswood said, “These funds are vital to the club at this very difficult time. We will now be able to purchase individual players – balls, drinks bottles, hand sanitizer and wipes. The management team of four/five will be able to obtain PPE, hand sanitizers, wipes to use at both training and matches. We can alleviate the onerous job of cleaning and sanitizing the turnstiles, railings, goalposts and flagpoles, currently carried out by the one SDCSC staff member on duty on matchdays, both before during and after our home games”.
The Matchday Support Fund is managed by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF), which is financed by the Premier League and supports non-league and Women’s Football Pyramid clubs with the cost of improvements to their grounds.
The Matchday Support Fund follows the recent Pitch and Club Preparation Funds, which saw £8.7m in grants awarded by the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation to prepare the country’s playing surfaces and facilities for the return of football.
The DCFA says, “The new Matchday Support Fund is another funding stream that is a massive support for our clubs as we continue to return to football. Clubs at this level are looking forward to welcoming more spectators to games over the coming months and this funding will ensure clubs can welcome them safely to their grounds”.
Janette Farrell, Club Covid-19 Officer and Secretary, said: “All players, Team Management, Opposition, Committee Members and Supporters/Spectators can now feel safe in the knowledge that Torquay United WFC are not only following current Government and FA guidelines by working within their prepared Covid-19 Protocols, Risk Assessments and using a QR Code Track & Trace systems, but going that one step further with the help of The Matchday Support Fund to provide a safe and sanitized environment for all football fans. Thanks to the Football Foundation Grant we can now move forward, knowing we are doing all we can to keep ladies safe and playing.
“What’s even more encouraging is that 90% of those clubs playing in Tier 5 of the English Leagues took up the opportunity to fund a safer return to football and are now implementing their Risk Assessments and Match Day Protocols within current Government & FA guidelines”.
For more information please contact:
Janette Farrell on 07485 250503 or torquayunitedwfc@gmail.com