HELSTON Athletic Football Club have received an important cash boost to help maintain their pitches ahead of football's return.

The club, who play at Kellaway Park in Helston, have been awarded a £5,000 Pitch Preparation Fund grant from the Premier League, The FA and the Government’s Football Foundation.

The Pitch Preparation Fund was set up in support of the game, which is currently facing unprecedented challenges because of the Covid-19 outbreak. The Fund is providing grants to clubs that have lost out on normal revenue streams during this difficult period.

The funding will enable Helston Athletic, who play in the South West Peninsula League Premier West and other local leagues, to prepare their football pitches so that they are match-fit for when it is safe to play football again, following Government advice.

They can use their grant to help pay for the cost of materials, work such as verti-draining, chain harrowing, rolling, over-seeding, fertilising, weed-killing, and routine preparatory work such as grass cutting and the setting out and line-marking of pitches.

Clubs and other organisations are also being given access to the Football Foundation Groundskeeping Community. This is a free online resource the Foundation developed with The FA and the Grounds Management Association, containing advice and guidance. Any respective club or organisation can sign up at https://thefa.hivelearning.com/groundskeeping.

Paul Hendy, chairman at Helston Athletic Football Club said: “This latest Football Foundation funding will help support the cost of the club's annual closed season pitch maintenance programme at a time when we have no other source of income. On behalf of the club, I would like to thank the Football Foundation for its financial support”

Daniel Greenough, Cornwall FA senior football development officer, said: “It is great to see Helston Athletic continue the apply for funding whilst maintaining and improving their facilities. I have always been a big believer in if you don’t ask you don’t get, and you have to be in it to win it.

"With this mind-set, Helston Athletic are accessing funding that is supporting the development of football and their local community. Great work!”

Robert Sullivan, interim chief executive of the Football Foundation, said: “This is a vital grant to help Helston Athletic FC get their pitches match-fit.

“The Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation exists to help provide quality infrastructure at the lower-levels of the game.

"Pitch Preparation Fund grants like this one are giving a helping hand to clubs across the country to get their playing surfaces ready for when the game is allowed to begin again following government advice.”

The Football Foundation is a charity funded by the Premier League, The FA and the Government, through Sport England.