A campaign to get the Government to back grassroots sport has received support from across the football community.
FA Chief Executive Martin Glenn said it was “vital” that central Government gave sport the financial backing it urgently needed and joined other sports’ governing bodies in adding his weight of support to the ‘Get Your Kit On’ campaign launched by the Sport and Recreation Alliance (SRA).
The SRA is calling on the Chancellor to prioritise funding for grassroots sport when he announces the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review on 25 November.
It is also is pressing to ensure that the importance of grassroots is fully reflected in the Government’s new ‘strategy for sport’, which is expected to be delivered by at the end of the year.
FA CEO Martin Glenn
Glenn said: “The FA is backing the ‘Get Your Kit On’ campaign because we know how grassroots sport changes lives.
“Our message is simple – we want the Government to prioritise public funding for grassroots sport.
“As a not-for-profit governing body, we think it’s vital that grassroots clubs, players and volunteers get the support and government backing they need – and recent polling tells us that the public agree with three in four people thinking that grassroots sport should receive more funding from government.”
And at The FA’s Youth Leagues Football Conference, which took place at St. George’s Park over the weekend, delegates were united in support ‘Get Your Kit On’.
The Conference brought together County FAs, representatives from the National League System and Women’s Pyramid to discuss how to move the game forward. Over the past four years, they have been at the centre of the participation drive which has seen the emergence of 5,000 new youth teams and a 55 per cent increase in disability teams. There has also been an additional 40,000 girls and women getting into the game since 2013.
Mark Woodhall, Acting Chief Executive and Northumberland FA, said: “It is paramount that the Government supports grassroots sport by providing suitable levels of sustained investment.
“It has a responsibility to ensure that the interest generated in sport stimulated at a young age by the youth leagues in football and similar structures across other sports has the potential to grow into a life-long participation in sport.”
For more information on how to get involved in the campaign to support central funding for grassroots sport visit getyourkiton.team
