The community of Staveley is set to benefit from fresh investment into local football facilities at Staveley Miners Welfare after grants were awarded to improve their Inkersall Road ground in a number of areas.

Money from the Premier League, The FA and the Government's Football Foundation, will go towards installing a state-of-the-art floodlit third generation (3G) artificial grass pitch (AGP), along with new pitch-side fencing and walkway.

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.

This grant will enable the club to give their current group of 24 teams - which range from Step 5 in the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division all the way down to Under-6s ??" the opportunity to enhance their footballing skills and better their health and well-being by using the new 3G surface.

As a result, the club - nicknamed the Trojans - now aims to get more than 500 children playing regular football in Staveley.

Both the club and its landlords, Staveley Miners Welfare, have worked with the Football Foundation and the County FA to secure significant funding towards this project.

Other grant applications were made and secured and the club have made arrangements to fund the remaining balance.

A statement said: "Whilst the club cannot expect any of our supporters, players, managers, volunteers to continue to fundraise at this time, the club has made arrangements for funding the residual.

"It is hoped that, subsequently, fundraising can be back on track and events arranged to assist the club given the obvious financial pressures all businesses are currently under."

Terry Damms, Staveley Miners Welfare chairman, said: "We have set about our aims and objectives of getting a sustainable football model in place that will secure the future of community football in Staveley.

"To see our Junior Section using this facility on their doorstep, in an environment that lends itself to our community driven ethos, is a dream come true. It will bring in brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents alike, all together as a community.

"Football makes a huge difference to the players, coaches/teachers, and community here. We see first-hand the impact on players' confidence, physical health, and mental focus.

"To receive this funding from the Premier League, The FA and the Government through the Football Foundation means a lot to us, as it will help us to improve grassroots sport in the area and get even more people involved in the nation's favourite game."

He added: "We are determined to see this project as a leading light for the grant providers to be able to reference back to, and with the faith they have shown in us we will repay the same with interest.

"The Football Foundation have enhanced our club and strengthened our foundations from which we can now develop further.

"We can now increase our attempts to develop Phase Two with further grants, as we hope in the very near future to announce plans to completely modernise the 90-vehicle car park to provide safe and adequate pedestrian access and egress, with safe parking with floodlighting and CCTV for added security.

"We have grand plans for a Phase Three. If we succeed with that then we will have without doubt achieved something exceptional for a the community of Staveley."