Wealdstone Football Club thanks National Lottery players for their support!
£10M emergency support package from The National Lottery gives lifeline to National League clubs while fans are unable to attend!
Everyone at Wealdstone Football Club would like to thank National Lottery players for their support during these challenging times. We’re grateful to benefit from a share of the £10M of funding that has been announced for 66 National League clubs as part of a unique partnership between the National League and The National Lottery which will ensure that this season can continue.
We, along with many other clubs have faced unprecedented financial challenges over the past 7-months. The response of everyone at the club to help during this period has been incredible and a testimony to the history and spirit of our club. Since we moved to the Ruislip area 12 years ago, we have built a strong community presence, set up an academy, a community foundation developed a thriving facility for the local residents to benefit from. We have a strong and growing youth section with over 600 players that represents the club at all age groups at a variety of levels. We are proud of the role we play in the area and our achievements on and off the pitch.
Club Chairman Rory Fitzgerald said “This funding helps us to continue to deliver the benefits we provide to the Ruislip area ranging from our junior teams to school visits and providing walking football for stroke victims. Our community activities have grown over recent years and we believe in times such as these the role local football clubs can play is bigger than ever. Protecting this, and the work of the other National League clubs, is essential for communities across the country. I can’t thank National Lottery players enough for this lifeline.”
The partnership with The National Lottery will benefit all clubs in the fifth and six tiers of English football, so that they can continue to play behind closed doors after the return of fans was paused due to rising infection rates. As a thank you, National Lottery players, who make a difference every time they buy a ticket, will also get a range of benefits – including free tickets once stadia are safe to reopen, grassroots football opportunities and VIP experiences at Wembley Stadium.
Nigel Railton, Chief Executive of National Lottery operator Camelot, said: “The National Lottery and its players have been making a huge difference to communities across the country for the past 26 years, so we’re delighted to be working with the National League to protect these all-important clubs and help them continue the vital work they carry out locally. They do a fantastic job and I can’t wait to cheer on my local National League side when fans are allowed to return.”
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