The Emergency Flood Relief Fund has provided clubs in Westmorland with over £100,000 worth of funding which has enabled clubs to get up and running as soon as possible after the floods. Grants from £3,000 to £50,000 have been given towards repair of changing facilities, replacing damaged goals and perimeter fencing to replacing and improving football pitches.

The Emergency Football Relief Fund was derived from £500,000 which has been invested by the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund (funded by the Premier League, The FA and the Government/Sport England) with a further £250,000 coming from the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (funded by the Premier League).

Many grassroots football clubs saw their pitches, changing rooms and stands damaged by strong winds and heavy rain fall, causing matches and training sessions to be postponed and many facilities are now unsafe for use. The Emergency Football Relief Fund will help to make these facilities safe and fit for purpose again after the devastating impact of ‘Storm Desmond’.

The funding means all clubs will be back at their home pitches and facilities available for the new season.

Cath Allen, Secretary from Lunesdale United FC who benefited from the flood fund said:

“Season 2015/2016 was extremely hard for Lunesdale United due to being flooded 4 times in December 2015 and January 2016.  At one point, the club did not know whether or not it would be able to continue because of the damage and the cost to put things right.

At the peak of the floods both the ground and changing rooms were standing in 18 inches of water, we could not see a light at the end of the tunnel and thought that the storms of December 2015 would be the club's downfall. We tried every flood appeal going.  No-one was interested in a small community football club – no-one.  We got knocked back everywhere we tried, but with the help of Dan Ferguson from the WCFA, the club managed to obtain a grant to pay for future flood defences from the Football Foundation. 

The Football Foundation threw us the lifeline we needed to survive and we cannot thank them enough. Work is underway now during the closed season”

If your club needs funding to improve your facilities or pitches please contact Dan Ferguson on Daniel.Ferguson@WestmorlandFA.com or 01539 730946 or 07944033337