Perfect weather for new pitch

A brand new third generation football pitch at Sandwich Technology School was officially opened late last year in a torrential rainstorm. The state-of-the-art pitch was opened by South Thanet MP, Dr Stephen Ladyman and the president of the Football Foundation, Lord Pendry.

The Kent County FA played a key role in assisting the school to gain a £390,000 grant from the Football Foundation to help construct the new pitch and the cash bonanza has allowed Sandwich Technology School, in partnership with its local football clubs, to build a much needed artificial turf pitch in East Kent which will benefit both the school students and the local football community.

Speaking at the official opening, Lord Pendry said: “We were relying on the Kent County FA to provide the football development support to see this project through. They were influential in making this wonderful pitch become a reality.” 

Paul Dolan, Development Manager at the Kent County FA, added: “Sandwich Technology School deserve an enormous amount of credit for the commitment they demonstrated in successfully obtaining funding from the Football Foundation to build their new all weather football pitch.

“The new football facilities at the school will prove beneficial to both the students and the football community in Sandwich and the surrounding areas of East Kent.

“The Kent County FA govern, regulate and develop football across the County with 46,000 people playing grassroots football in Kent each week. To continue to raise standards and support the growth in participation levels it is vital that the Kent County FA provide strategic leadership to increase the quality and quantity of football pitches and facilities across the County.

Part funded by The FA, the Football Foundation is dedicated to revitalising the grassroots of the game by constructing modern football facilities and developing football as a force for social cohesion and as a vehicle for education in communities throughout the country.

Charlie Lane, captain of the year 11 school football team said “I love the new pitch. We can use it all through the winter, and we don’t get muddy!”