Supporting Lydney Town AFC Youth Through Community Funding
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Published 24 Jan 2022 in Communities
To support the amazing work being done in our local communities, each year we offer £2,000 grants to local groups and charities through our Community Fund.
In 2021, we funded a wide range of groups, from helping support safe spaces for vulnerable individuals in Shropshire to training young people in practical skills to gain employment in Central Oxford.
Today, we’re focusing on Lydney Town AFC Youth, who like many other local sports clubs have faced huge challenges over the past 18 months as a result of the pandemic.
With the pandemic resulting in all grassroots football being suspended, this meant that clubs such as Lydney Town had no money coming in to keep them going.
To add to the pressures of Covid, the football club also suffered two major floods, which meant that a lot of their equipment was damaged beyond repair!
Lydney Town was successful in their application for the £2,000 Community Fund, and as a result, they have managed to replace a lot of the equipment lost in the floods, taking some of the financial strain away from the club. This ultimately means that they can continue to focus on the great work they do with young people in the community.
We spoke to Richard Saunders, Fundraising Officer for Lydney Town AFC Youth, to find out more about the difference the funding has made to them…
“After a terrible 18 months of Covid and surviving two floods, we were awarded £2,000 from Midcounties.
I was so excited to announce this as we lost so much equipment within the two floods and with Covid shutting down all grassroots football, there was no money coming in to help buy new equipment.
Within the last year, we have bought 7 new goals, footballs, bibs, cones, sports kits, nets and we are also looking into a mini-bus. After the two floods and the impact of Covid as a youth section, we are just linked with a secondary school and we have a brand new home which will home all teams ages from 7-16.”
This is just one example of the wonderful impact our funding can have in our local communities.
2022 Community Fund is Open
If you are involved with a local organisation, then let us support you by offering funding of up to £2,000 from the Society’s dedicated Community Fund.
To celebrate our Co-op difference and to highlight to our Members the way our community donations are distributed and how they make a difference locally, please note that all successful applicants will be asked to attend our Society AGM which will be held on Saturday 14th May and take part in our community presentation.
If you care about it, then so do we!
How to apply?
Please use the link below to visit our website to complete the online application.
The closing date for the Community Grants is Friday 4th February.