FOLLOWING a successful funding bid, the Football Foundation have awarded Wendron FC a £695 grant to replace its football goals with new, safer ones.

Football is one of the fastest growing sports and highly popular within the area. The Football Foundation provides funding support for projects at a grass roots level to encourage increased participation of all ages but especially young people.

This funding award will allow Wendron FC to replace football goals at their Underlane ground. They hope that the new goals will encourage further football development and that the users will appreciate having the new improved equipment.

Since 1991 nine young footballers have tragically been killed in the UK by unsafe goals. Many more have been seriously injured by posts and crossbars that fail to meet even basic safety standards.

To put an end to these shocking accidents and the increase safety on the field of play, the UK's largest sports charity the Football Foundation, has earmarked almost £4m to replace non-compliant and unsafe goals in England at thousands of schools, clubs, parks and local organisations throughout the country. Amazingly, research by The FA revealed that 41% of mini-soccer goals, 50% of 5-a-side goals and 22% of junior goals failed stability tests.

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.

Funded by the FA Premier League, The Football Association, Sport England and the Government, the Football Foundation is the nation's largest sports charity with a £45m budget going straight into the heart of football.

Paul Thorogood, chief executive of the Football Foundation, said: "In this day and age to have people being killed and injured from unsafe sports equipment is unacceptable. We are working closely with The FA to replace sub-standard goals with ones that meet modern safety requirements.

"We are delighted to be able to award Wendron FC with this cash boost and look forward to working with more clubs, local authorities and schools in the area.

"I would urge them to undertake checks on their goalposts to make sure footballers are as safe as possible and contact us for funding to replace dangerous goals."

Alan Watson, who spearheaded the club's grant for the magnificent new building being erected at the ground, said it was an important step forward: "It's important that we as a club work to provide the best facilities available to ensure a safe environment for all players using the club.

"The committee at Wendron once again thank the Football Foundation for their support to clubs in areas of social and economic deprivation.

"This grant will help us to maintain and enhance existing facilities and equipment necessary for the development of the club, in line with our policy of continual improvement through the adoption of our sports development plan.

"The club is striving to create a sporting atmosphere that will add to the enjoyment of every member of the facility. Dedicated to the community, the club will continue to develop its facilities for the benefit of the community and help provide pathways to enable every footballer in the area to reach their full potential."

There was even more good new for Wendron Football Club following the revelation that Barclays has come to the aid of the youth section by donating a complete set of coaching kit and equipment to its under seven team. The award to Wendron u7s has been made as part of the £30m grassroots sports programme, Barclays Spaces for Sports.

The donation is one of 1,200 packs being awarded each year to ensure teams across the UK will benefit from the three year scheme.

The club has been running for over 15 years and this donation has been welcomed by the up and coming youngsters of the club.

Team coaches Yorrick O'Nyons and Ramone Vallejo said: "Our club numbers are always increasing and it has been hard to acquire enough decent equipment to improve our training sessions. The coaching pack from Barclays is brilliant and will really help us."

Michelle Smith, Barclays sponsorship director, said: "Barclays are delighted to be supporting Wendron Youth and hope this coaching kit will encourage their interest in sport and lead them to greater success."

Barclays Spaces for Sports, a partnership between Barclays, Football Foundation and Groundwork, will create sustainable sports sites and provide coaching kit and equipment to communities in most need of help across the UK.