Kewford Eagles FC Grand Opening

Wall Heath is set to receive a major sporting boost following the opening of 11 brand new football pitches, and changing rooms funded by the Football Foundation, Sport England, Cory Environmental plus other funders.

The opening will take place on Saturday 26 April at 12 noon at the new ground in Swindon Road, Wall Heath, West Midlands, DY6 0AW where it is hoped the new facility will be officially opened by Sir Trevor Brooking.  The opening Kick Off match, with the whistle to be blown by Sir Trevor, will be between the U17’s and U18’s, players who have been with the Club the longest with many of them having been with the Club since the Feeder Group from age 5 to age 18.

Kewford Eagles has around 550 children playing for it including those with disabilities and the new facility will provide the children with a safe environment to enjoy good healthy exercise.  The club, established in 1978, is run entirely by volunteers and was awarded the ME2 Award, the highest award given by Mencap for organisations for the disabled and also holds the Queens Award for Voluntary Service, the equivalent of an MBE for volunteer groups.

Last year Kewford were presented with both The FA County and Regional Community Club of the Year Awards at the new FA Academy at Burton-on-Trent.  Hannah Buckley, Regional Facilities Manager of the FA, said "Kewford is the largest club in the Black Country, the West Midlands and in Birmingham County FA.  They have over 44 teams playing football on a weekly basis and over 12 years ago they set about on a long journey for a new home securing land, planning permission and funding.  It was a very bumpy journey and they faced many knockbacks but all credit to them for their determination and hard work they achieved so much and their vision is now finally coming true.”

The new sports pavilion comprises of: 11 football pitches and car parking on 30 acres of land and also four changing rooms, toilets and a kitchen.

Lynn Boleyn, Charity Trustee, said "this new facility, 12 years in the planning, will provide a fantastic sporting facility for generations of children to come and we are extremely grateful to all the people who helped us make our dreams a reality.  Kewford is a Community Club providing football for all regardless of age or ability and all volunteers in the Club give up many hours every week to help manage and coach the teams and provide good healthy exercise for the children where they make friends to last a lifetime”.

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For more information contact:

• Lynn Boleyn, Charity Trustee on 01384 830862 or 07747563623 or lynn.boleyn@sky.com

Kewford Eagles would like to thank and acknowledge the funding received for their Grassroots Project from:

The Football Foundation (£800,000)
Cory Environmental Trust in Britain (£100,000)
Sport England (£50,000)
Staffordshire Environmental Fund (£30,000)
Ibstock Cory (£30,000)
Bernard Sunley Charitable Foundation(£10,000)
The Douglas Turner Trust (£10,000)
Garfield Weston Foundation (£10,000)
CHK Charities Limited(£5,000)
The Hedley Foundation(£2,000)
The West Brom (£1,000)
Dumbreck Charity (£500)
The Keith & Joan Mindelsohn Charitable Trust (£500)
The Richard Cadbury Charitable Trust (£300)
Geoff Hill Charitable Trust (£100)

Special thanks also to: Phil Mann at Faithful & Gould, PCPT Architects, Pinsent Masons LLP and Birmingham County FA for their invaluable support, and also to Colin Worthington without whom none of this would have been possible.

 
www.kewfordeagles.co.uk