Waveney Youth might not be a household name but The FA’s Charter Standard National Community Club of the Year are so big in their home town that they have to play at two different grounds!

With over 50 teams to support it’s perhaps no surprise that the youth football club are scattered across their Lowestoft home with the Mini Soccer setup playing in the town centre at Barnards Meadow while the older age groups are located at Denes High School.

Club Development Officer, Mark Gamble, admits that it’s tough to keep on top of the ever growing demand: “We’ll continue to expand as long as we’ve got the workforce to cope. We have over 120 volunteers at the club and they are irreplaceable.

“We certainly don’t want to turn children away from Waveney Youth though as getting children interested in sport and physical exercise is tough in this day and age.”

Waveney Youth first achieved Community Club status in 2004 and Mark believes that the certificate helped their reputation skyrocket: “We’ve literally doubled in size since achieving Charter Standard and now coach in over 12 different local schools on a regular basis throughout the week.

“We also coach in four middle schools for girls and have 25 children involved in our Disabled Football setup at Ashley Special School as well.” 

The club has a part share in the training facility at Denes High School having invested £20,000 into the sports hall facility along with the UK’s biggest sport charity, the Football Foundation, a few years ago.

However, it’s a different story at Barnards Meadow and Waveney are concerned that they may have to relocate at some point: “There’s a chance it could be sold for redevelopment as it’s probably the only green space left in the middle of Lowestoft but Suffolk County Council have assured us that everything’s fine for the time being.

“We’re proud to win this National Award though as it shows that we’re doing something right and that parents are happy for their kids to be dropped off and left in our care on a Saturday morning,” said Mark.