A community football team in North Yorkshire is showing off its impressive footwork thanks to a council cash boost of more than £1,000 towards the purchase of new goal posts.
Members of Skipton Walking Football Club (SWFC) have welcomed the equipment saying it will not only “improve their sessions, but attract more players fostering further social interaction”.
Walking football is a slower version of the game designed to encourage enthusiasts of mixed abilities and ages to keep an active lifestyle and meet new friends.
SWFC boasts almost 90 members playing on the artificial grass pitches at Sandylands Sports Centre in Skipton three times a week and offering a safe environment to engage in low-impact sport.
The club reached out to a number of local organisations appealing for donations to support their fundraising appeal to purchase new goal posts costing £2,900 rather than having to play with borrowed ones each week, which they claim are smaller than the set they require.
Cllr Richard Foster, the member for the Wharfedale division, immediately responded and decided to support the worthwhile cause with a donation of £300 from his locality budget.
Also quick to back the appeal were Cllr David Noland, the member for the Skipton North and Embsay-with-Eastby division, and Cllr Andy Solloway, who represents the Skipton West and West Craven division, who donated £400 each from their locality budgets.
Each of our 90 members has a budget of £10,000 a year to respond to local needs by allocating small amounts of funding to support activities to promote social, economic, or environmental well-being in the communities which they represent.
Funding can be used for projects undertaken by external organisations or for additional services provided by the council. Each member is responsible for determining how they wish to seek approval to use the money from their locality budget.
Cllr Richard Foster said: “I was more than happy to answer the call to support the project with my locality budget. The newly-installed goal posts will make a positive difference to the game played at Skipton and enjoyed by dozens of athletes for many years ahead.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Noland added: “The new equipment will also continue to foster a spirit of competition and camaraderie between local walking football clubs and I wish them all the very best.”
The club’s founder, Christopher McGrath, said: “We are grateful to North Yorkshire’s councillors who kindly donated from their locality budgets and other kind organisations including the Two Ridings Community Foundation.
“Their support towards this positive cause continues to help our grassroots voluntary club to thrive and for a large number of people to come together, have a laugh, fun and get fit at the same time.”
And Cllr Solloway said: “I was delighted to support this fantastic community club. With the correctly sized equipment, the walking football game is a lot more enjoyable and I hope it encourages more people to engage in this low intensity, yet highly beneficial sport.”