Langford boosted by Lottery grant

Langford is among a total of 148 local sports projects to secure a share of £9 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund.

The Spartan South Midlands club will receive £74,515 of National Lottery funding to upgrade the club’s facilities.

The improvements include new pitch floodlighting as well as new lighting for a training area, which will also be levelled.

Sport England Property Director Charles Johnston said: “The Inspired Facilities Fund has had a huge impact on grassroots sport across the country. Since 2011, we’ve invested £102 million into more than 1,920 projects to improve and refurbish sports clubs and transform non-sporting venues into vibrant community sports clubs.

“It’s great to see Langford Football Club join the long list of successful clubs to benefit from this fund.”

Chairman Ian Chessum said: “We are delighted with the grant awarded in the latest round of Inspired Facilities funding. This will enable the club to replace the unstable floodlights around the pitch with the latest downlighter technology, giving a better light coverage and cheaper running costs.

“Our neighbours will also benefit from a much reduced glare. Also we will be able to erect floodlights on our training area, which will be levelled.

“This will enable the club to offer training facilities to many more players of all ages.

“We have already agreed that the local youth teams, boys and girls will train at least two evenings per week.

“There will also be a midweek u18 league team, and a Sunday league u18 team, which will train with our senior players, as well as have their own sessions.

“None of this would have been possible without the support received from 
local organisations and individuals.”

Many more communities are set to benefit from the hugely popular fund with the latest round of the Inspired Facilities now open.

Community and voluntary organisations, councils and schools can bid for a share of £5 million to help upgrade facilities that can be unattractive, expensive to run and difficult to maintain, and to convert existing non-sporting buildings into venues that are suitable for grassroots sport.