England and Everton Ladies player Jill Scott was on hand to present a cheque for £9,265 to Aldercar Community Language College during a half-term Holiday Girls Soccer School.

 

The money has been secured to promote and develop girls’ football in the Amber Valley area, and Jill took time out of her busy training schedule to visit the College and present the cheque as well as chatting with the girls, aged 10 to 14, who were taking part in football coaching sessions.

 

The funding is from the Football Foundation, which has awarded a grant of £8,265, with additional funds being secured from Derbyshire County FA and  the Amber Valley Schools Sports Partnership.

 

The money will be used to encourage more young girls to play football, develop young people as coaches and form links with local clubs.

 

Kathy Hardy, Assistant Principal and School Sports Co-ordinator at Aldercar Community Language College, said, “This funding will help greatly in the development of girls’ football in Amber Valley, and ensure that events like this holiday soccer school can continue to take place and expand.”

 

Jill Scott, who last week received the Players’ Player of the Year award at The FA Women's Awards for the 2007-08 season, said: “Women’s football is very rewarding.

 

“It’s the fastest growing sport, and ten years ago if you had come to an event like this there would have been half the number of kids here. The World Cup was on the television and 25,000 people were at the Women’s FA Cup Final, so it is become more and more popular.

 

“More money for the sport means better facilities and then you can accommodate more children.”

 

As well as presenting the cheque, Jill took part in a question and answer session with the 30 young girls, signed footballs and shirts and watched the girls as they played and trained.