Funding could be awarded to improve football pitches in Worthing

Hundreds of thousands of pounds could be secured from the UK’s largest sports charity to improve the football pitches at one of Worthing’s most active green spaces.

Worthing Borough Council is partnering with Worthing United Youth Football Club to ensure the beautiful game continues to benefit the community at Hill Barn Recreation Ground.

By entering the Football Foundation’s Home Advantage Programme, the council and the football club have the opportunity to access £250,000 of funding to enhance the grass pitches at the popular recreation ground.

The investment would enable the football club to purchase new grounds maintenance equipment to improve the quality of the playing surfaces at Hill Barn Recreation Ground, which are used by hundreds of children each week.

Should funding be awarded, Worthing United Youth FC would take over the management of the pitches from the council, allowing the council’s parks team to focus on maintaining the many other sports grounds they are responsible for across the borough.

As part of the programme, a 25-year lease will be signed between the council and the football club, subject to formal agreement - further securing the site’s future as a hub for children’s football. The recreation ground will remain open to the public and all other users as normal, including for cricket.

Councillor Dom Ford, Worthing’s cabinet member for communities, culture and leisure, said: “I’m delighted that we’re partnering with Worthing United Youth FC to ensure that local children can continue playing football at Hill Barn Recreation Ground long into the future.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the Football Foundation’s support, which could lead to £250,000 of funding to ensure young people can play on even better pitches for years to come.”

Jason Nicholls, the chairman of Worthing United Youth Football Club, said: “This agreement will secure the future of youth football at Hill Barn Rec for years to come.

“We are very grateful to both the Football Foundation and Worthing Borough Council for helping us apply for this landmark funding, which will enable us to manage our own grass pitches and create a long-standing legacy for our young members.”

If Worthing United Youth FC and the council are successful in their application for funding, all of the award would go to the football club, while the council would receive £25,000 separately to cover its costs to get the scheme in place.

Robert Sullivan, the CEO of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, the FA and the government – to unlock the power of pitches for more grassroots clubs and enable them to take pride and ownership in the place they call home”.

It’s hoped that the programme will be delivered and active within 12 months.