KINVER Colts are celebrating after the club was awarded a grant to boost grassroots football in the village.

The club’s £1,500 ‘Grow the Game’ grant has paved the way for a new under 10s girls’ team to train and play matches from September 2017.

The FA and Football Foundation funding will also help with the cost of facilities as well as enabling two coaches to be trained to work with the team.

Mick Trollope, club secretary, said: “We are very grateful to the Football Foundation for the opportunities the Grow the Game grant will give to children and young people in Kinver and the surrounding areas.

“It is always a challenge to start new girls’ teams and this funding will make all the difference to achieving this.

“Our aim is for the volunteer coaches to be drawn from players’ parents and also young people who have previously played for the club, maintaining their involvement in local football.”

Grow the Game is a £2.5m programme which awards grants to grassroots football clubs that wish to create new teams, especially amongst under-represented groups.

England manager and Football Foundation ambassador, Gareth Southgate, said: “I am so pleased that Kinver Colts has secured this Grow the Game grant.

“The club has worked very hard with Birmingham FA and the Football Foundation to get more local people playing football so that they can enjoy the many physical and mental benefits that come with playing regular sport.”

Funded by The FA and delivered by the Football Foundation, the money helps clubs at the grassroots level to bear the cost of starting up a new team, including new kit, pitch hire or sending volunteers on FA accredited coaching courses.