On Saturday 24th November the Co-op Local Community Fund handed out £19m as part of the Co-op’s Payout Celebration Day.

The fund is designed to help local groups and initiatives that the Co-Op has judged have made an extra-special contribution to their communities. Edwalton Cavaliers were included within those groups having been recognised for their work in extending the number of playing opportunities in their youth ranks, funding coaching and refereeing courses for their older age groups, for starting a brand new girls teams and for continuing to run free soccer schools for primary school age children in their area.

The cheque was presented to a number of members of the club including chairman Tim Stacey, club secretary Darren Grice, Director of Football Adrian Churchett and vice-chairman and senior team manager Howard Kilbourn (app pictured) at the Co-Op on Hilton Crescent.

Chairman Tim Stacey was quick to show his appreciation:

“We can’t thank the Co-Op enough for their support. Their funding has allowed Edwalton Cavaliers to provide professional coaches and professional coaching to a huge number of initiatives, most notably our first 5 referees who are now refereeing 15 games between them each week and the first ever Edwalton Cavaliers Girls team who took to the field on November 11th.”

Adrian added a little about how this latest funding will support the club’s plans for continued growth:

“We’re hoping that this will be the first of many, many girls teams and thanks to the Co-op we can now guarantee to running 2 more years of free soccer schools so that we can continue to give girls and boys of primary school age and easy route into playing every week within our Young Elizabethan League teams.”

If you would like to find out more about the footballing opportunities Edwalton Cavaliers FC are providing for our community, please visit www.pitchero.com/clubs/edwaltoncavaliersfc or follow the club on Twitter at @edwaltonfc or on Facebook at @edwaltonfc.