Southern League Farnborough have been handed a £10,000 boost of National Lottery funding to help with essential running costs during the coronavirus crisis.
Officials at the Hampshire club successfully applied to Sport England's £20m Community Emergency Fund to help cover maintenance, rent and utility bills over the coming months.
Sport England announced a £195m package to deliver immediate funding to those in sport and physical activity sector experiencing short-term financial hardship or the ceasing of operations because of the public health crisis.
Farnborough FC chairman Simon Gardener welcomed the award and thanked Sport England on behalf of “everyone” at Southern League Premier Division South club in a statement on Monday.
#FarnboroughFC awarded @Sport_England grant |
£10,000 allocated to help Farnborough Football Club during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more: https://t.co/3scLGHHY2W #NationalLottery pic.twitter.com/u7EC1xa6X0
— Farnborough FC (@FarnboroughFC) April 27, 2020
Gardener said: “The award of this grant will definitely help the Club in this uncertain period. There is still a long road ahead before we think about a return to football. At this moment in time all focus must be on staying safe.
“During the lockdown both the Owner and Directors are working hard to ensure that when the club re-opens we will be ready. So, I would personally like to thank Sport England on behalf of Farnborough Football Club for the award of this grant.
“The club appreciates the uncertainty supporters are facing around when football might return to the Easy As HGV Stadium. With ongoing talks regarding the resumption of England's top flight, we hope that football will return sooner rather than later.”
He added: “Please continue to be patient and once we have any news as always, we will keep you updated.”
Sport England's Chief Executive said Tim Hollingsworth said: “As the body responsible for the growth of sport and physical activity participation, we want the vital grassroots organisations that make sport and physical activity happen in this country to not just to come through this crisis but to be in a position to thrive again in the future.
“The £20m Community Emergency fund, made possible by National Lottery players is part of a multi-million pound package of support we are providing to ease the pressure on a huge number of the organisations who are central to the nation's health and well-being.
“We are proud to be able to provide vital funding to Farnborough Football Club to help it through these extremely challenging times.”
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Images courtesy of The Non-League Paper & @FarnboroughFC/Twitter
