Broughton sports charity aims to raise £20,000 for FA-approved pitch

A Broughton sporting charity has set up a Crowdfunder to raise £20,000 to fund a 3G pitch and new facilities.

Alberts of Salford has provided vital sports facilities for youths in the area, as well as sporting accommodation for nearby centres, since 2005.

The Football Foundation is considering providing £600,000 but the charity will need to raise £150,000 for the project.

Project leader Dave Morgan said: “The fundraiser is just a desperate attempt to try and shout out to people, even if we don’t raise much money.”

The fundraiser is crucial to the charity, as without the redevelopment they would lose the ability to host FA teams.

Mr Morgan added: “If it doesn’t get FA registration anymore, you can’t have affiliated teams. If we lose that, we lose half our of income.

“The pitch is deteriorating. It becomes a health and safety issue, so what happens then?”

Over the past three years they have struggled and had many setbacks, having to make other purchases.

He said: “We had new floodlights last year. We couldn’t wait. That was £26,000.”

Facilities manager Kim Shaw stressed how the club has been impacted by Covid.

She said: “Covid hit, didn’t it? And then things went on the back bench, and more recently, now we’re back onto it, the cost of everything’s actually gone a lot higher.”

With the project hoping to be completed before the beginning of the next season, Kim said: “We need to have the funds in place by April.

“We need it because I think we’re looking to close the facility down by April. It will close for up to 12 weeks, so it’s going to be open mid to the back end of August.”

The scheme is very important to the local community because it offers opportunities to everyone, with there being a big dividend on community integration.

Floodlights will also make it a safer place at night Kim Shaw added: “There was quite a lot of crime in the area.

“Because the lights are on, and because we’ve got CCTV, the whole area is now considered to be a hundred per cent safer than it used to be.”

One person who has benefitted from this is Filmon Habte, an employee at the pitch and a University of Bolton student.

Filmon, who had been going to the pitch since 2012, said: “It’s definitely helped you make more friends, and get more involved with the community.

“For me it means a lot because as a foreigner, I just came all the way from Africa, and then after three months my mum brought me here.”