Football club in Rastrick celebrates funding for new purpose-built facilities

Rastrick Juniors Football Club celebrates funding for new facilities, Carr Green playing fields. Bobby Boskic, nine, chairman Martin Ford and Noah Cooper-Smith, six, with coaches.

People living in Rastrick are set to benefit from fresh investment into local football facilities.

Rastrick Juniors FC has been awarded a grant from the Premier League, The FA, and Government’s Football Foundation, to build a purpose-built clubhouse at their Carr Green home.

In addition to the grant from the Football Foundation, the project is only possible thanks to further grants from Rastrick Big Local, The Garfield Weston Foundation, with the club investing a significant sum as well.

These grants will enable Rastrick, which plays in the Huddersfield and District Junior Football League and gives over 400 girls and boys aged between four and 18 the chance to play football each week, to finally secure clubhouse and changing room facilities, that is not only for the club but the wider Rastrick community.

An artist's impression of the new facilities

Players and parents will be able to enjoy communal social and learning areas, a kitchen and servery, internal and external viewing platforms, and changing rooms and toilets, which will represent a significant improvement on the existing facility provisions, which is currently a shipping container and mobile canteen on matchdays.

Rastrick worked in conjunction with Mark Woodhall from Facility and Sports Club Development with assistance from the Football Foundation, Calderdale Council and the West Riding County FA to secure a £247,090 grant towards the project which totals nearly £300,000.

Martin Ford, Chairman of the Trustees and Committee of Rastrick Juniors, said: “This award allows the club to finally have a building that is fit for purpose, providing basic facilities such as toilets, so that we can continue to improve the work we do for young people as well as the wider community.

"The last two years have been tough, and we have seen off unwanted visitors, a pandemic and the fear of our children losing interest, but our amazing volunteer force has been unwavering in its determination to see the club thrive.

"We are very proud of our history but are forward-looking and ambitious for the future. The clubhouse represents an exciting and important progression for the club. Our Carr Green home is unique in the local area and will provide the basis for the club to develop the quality of provision for the children of Rastrick and the surrounding area for generations to come.”