Future of Long Melford Football Club secured after £730,000 clubhouse development receives green light
The future of a 150-year-old village football club has been secured, after a much-needed £730,000 clubhouse development received vital grant funding to allow it to go ahead.
Long Melford Football Club (LMFC), along with the village’s Colts and Fillies youth teams, are celebrating the confirmation that work on a new multi-purpose facility at Stoneylands can begin next month, thanks to a cash injection of almost £480,000 from the Football Foundation.
It marks the culmination of four years of work to deliver the scheme, co-ordinated by the Long Melford Community Sports Trust (LMCST), in response to the deteriorating state of the current clubhouse, which had threatened the club’s long-term standing.
The project was at serious risk of losing out on the Football Foundation grant earlier this year, before an 11th-hour lease agreement was reached for the football clubs to continue sharing use of the village playing field, to satisfy the conditions to receive the funds.
Additional money for the new facility, which is also intended for use by local groups and private functions, was provided by Babergh District Council, Sudbury Town Council and the Hamilton Trust.
Parish council chairman John Nunn, who is also a LMCST committee member, said there had been numerous financial and legal hurdles to overcome, but hard work and determination from everyone involved has enabled “another amazing addition” to the village.
“This has come at just the right time,” he told the Free Press. “It’s a badly-needed facility for Long Melford, as we seem to be expanding all the time with new residents.
“The current building is really on its last legs. If we had to close the clubhouse, it would have put the entire club in jeopardy. This new facility will be purpose-built, not just for football, but other sports as well.”
Construction of the new clubhouse, which is designed by Kevin and Olivia Hurley, of Long Melford-based KHA Survey and Design, is expected to start in late July, and is targeted for completion by the end of the year.
Once completed, the clubhouse aims to help generate revenue to safeguard LMFC’s future, further improve its grounds and expand its youth football offerings.
Rob Bowden, chairman of the Colts and Fillies, stated they had faced a race against time to secure the funding, and credited parish councillor Jonathan Ewbank for playing a key role in helping to meet this deadline.
He also praised the co-operation of Long Melford Cricket Club and Long Melford Community Association, as well as the support of Christine Mills, owner of the pitches used by the junior teams, for children aged eight to 18.
“It just shows what can happen when the whole community pulls together,” he said. “It’s great to be able to announce some positive news at such a difficult time.
“It’s an exciting project and we would love to hear from local people, companies and community groups who’d like to get involved, or might be interested in using the clubhouse once it opens.”
For further updates on the new clubhouse project, search for Long Melford Community Sports Trust on Facebook.