Funded by The FA, FA Premier League and the Government, the Football Foundation is dedicated to revitalising the grass roots of the game, constructing modern football facilities, developing football as a force for social cohesion and as a vehicle for education in communities throughout the country.

Judgemeadow Community College, in the Evington area of Leicester, netted the East Midlands largest ever funding boost, part of the Foundation’s and the Big Lottery Fund’s £30m commitment of National Lottery money to enhance school sports facilities.

The money will be used to create a new pavilion housing eight changing rooms for male and female players and match officials.

It will also allow the school to construct a modern floodlit artificial pitch and 16 new grass pitches, all for use by both pupils and the wider community.

Additional funding for the scheme has been provided by the  Local Education Authority, local team FC Khalsa and the Judgemeadow Community College Governors body.

Principle at Judgemeadow David Powell and his staff were thrilled by the news.

“The college is delighted that the Football Foundation have accepted its bid to promote football from grass roots level through to excellence not just for students at Judgemeadow, but for the immediate and wider communities of Leicester.

"The college has carried out extensive research over the last year, finding that at present there are virtually no sports facilities on the East side of Leicester."

Over 3,100 players of all ages and abilities will have access to the redeveloped site. It is hoped that many of the new players will be from the local ethnic communities, who have often felt left on the peripheries of the game.

Mr. Gerry Cooper, Chairman of the Local Football Partnership and President of the County FA was also extremely pleased.

“This facility will be a magnificent community football centre that will benefit both the school and the entire football community in Leicester”, he said.

Links will also be strengthened with local clubs FC Khalsa and Bushby United Youth FC who will be just two of the many clubs utilising the facilities.

Partnerships will also be formed with Leicestershire County FA to develop the game in and around the Evington area and extra curricular football coaching activities for local junior players being delivered through Leicester City’s outstanding Football in the Community Programme.

The Foundation has provided investment for 15 projects in Leicester and the surrounding areas worth a total of £1.7m over the last three years.

Included in this funding bonanza is £1.1m for grass roots facilities plus an additional £600,000 for community projects, using the power of football to educate, motivate and tackle social exclusion.