Newark and Sherwood District Council back improvements to Walesby Lane Sports Ground in Ollerton

A football club will benefit from £59,696.76 for improvements at the Walesby Lane Sports Ground.

Cabinet members of Newark and Sherwood District Council agreed to transfer the sum to Ollerton Town Football Club at a meeting on September 24.

The money comes out of the section 106 provision for open space off site sports improvements in Ollerton held by the District Council and formed part of the S106 contributions from Avant Homes on their Wellow Road development.

The investment will be used by the football club to improve the outdated facilities at its ground to accommodate increased active participation in sport and leisure activities.

Lee Brazier said: “The girls’ team are really up and coming and my daughter is in the youngest set and they just have a bit of a kick around every Friday but she absolutely loves it and actually to see the progression that has been made across the club is huge.

“The pavilion and the grounds themselves need quite a substantial amount of love to bring them to a state where we can start being proud of them again properly.

“We have got brilliant football teams but unfortunately due to a lack of finance for the club over a number of years, we have seen a decline in the facilities available to them.”

The football club has worked extremely hard over the past 18 months to increase usage of the site, and now have over 10 teams including teams and training opportunities for girls’ football.

The improvements will help to secure this valuable community asset for future generations and to meet future demand.

This funding will allow initial improvements at the site to proceed which will help the club to ensure the site remains safe to use as a community asset and enable them to secure further external grant funding from the Football Foundation’s grass pitch improvement scheme.

Liam Kent, chairman of Ollerton Town FC said, “I am delighted that we have managed to secure what is the single biggest piece of funding our club has ever received.

“Ollerton as a town, and a club, is long overdue this size of investment.

“The whole club is working tirelessly to create a safe accommodating space for people of any age and gender to come and play football and I’d like to thank the District Council for being constant supporters of what we are trying to achieve.”

The funding is in line with several District Council objectives, including improving health and wellbeing for residents, celebrating and invigorating community spirit, pride of place and a sense of belonging as well as protecting and enhancing the district’s natural environment and green space.

Paul Peacock, chairman of NSDC cabinet, said: “Ollerton Town FC have worked really hard, it’s been really difficult over the years for them.

“It is just not about football but it’s about mental health, about being active, children, old people, young people and it is about having a better and healthier life.”