Roach Dynamos FC awarded £500k funding to revamp football facilities

Date published: 06 April 2022

A football club based in Heywood - Roach Dynamos FC - has received a grant to improve its ground’s facilities.

The club has been awarded £533,882 by the Premier League, the FA and government’s Football Foundation for the construction of a new club house pavilion and improved vehicular access at their Sutherland Road site.

The works are to include a multi-functional social space that will be utilised by community partners for multi-sport, health and wellbeing programmes, and wider community-run programmes.

This grant will enable Roach Dynamos FC, which plays in leagues across the borough, to give over 350 players the chance to play football each week, to improve their facilities significantly by building a club house, with toilets and changing rooms.

Players will be able to enjoy use of facilities they have not had before, which will represent a significant improvement for the club as a whole.

Roach Dynamos FC worked with the Football Foundation and the county FA, Rochdale Council and Steve Wells Associates Ltd to secure a grant towards the project.

The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports charity and exists to improve the experience of playing football for everyone, by championing fair access to quality facilities.

Paul and Debbie Wright, and Julie and Mark Newbon, who are committee members and club trustees, said: “We have worked for many years to highlight the lack of facilities at our ground, which has been a massive issue, not only ourselves, but for visiting teams too.

“We are ecstatic that our voices were heard and that we have received investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, along with an investment from Rochdale Council, to build these much-needed facilities for us all to enjoy.

“We would like to thank everyone that has helped us along the way to reach our goal; thank you.”

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “This grant award to Roach Dynamos FC towards developing a brand-new club house is great news for the local community.

“It will support people’s ability to play our national game locally and therefore help unlock football’s many benefits to physical and mental wellbeing.  That’s why we’re committed to transforming the face of grassroots football facilities in this country.  It’s therefore very welcome news to hear that this funding will support Roach Dynamos FC in developing a new club house which will benefit them and their local community.

“The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, the FA, government and Sport England – to support facility development projects like this across the country over the next decade to transform our grassroots game and unlock the power of pitches.”

The investment comes as part of a £39 million commitment to improving access to physical activity across England. 116 projects in total will receive funding to create and improve pitches, changing rooms and pavilions, so that more local communities can access high-quality facilities. 

Projects have been chosen for their ability to deliver improved facilities in deprived areas, support multi-sport use and increase participation among currently under-represented groups, including women, girls and disabled players. 

The funding, combined with contributions from the FA, Premier League, clubs and other local partners, will improve the quality of community facilities, bring people together to enjoy playing sport in their local area, regenerate communities and enhance social cohesion.