Chester FC Community Trust is celebrating a grant of £8,850 from The National Lottery Community Fund.

The award is part of almost £65 million of National Lottery funding for communities across England this quarter to support them as they recover from the pandemic, helping them to build back stronger into the New Year and beyond.

The Community Trust will use the funding for a new project based at the new King George V Sports Hub, which is set for completion in January 2022, that aims to support older people in our local communities.

Together Through Sport will establish two new walking football and social groups for men and women aged over 50 at the £1.8 million hub in Blacon, supporting participants to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.

Walking football is a slower version of the traditional game for older people which enables participants to keep playing or return to the sport with the sessions taking place on the state-of-the-art 3G pitch. The groups will also offer social activities in the new clubhouse building after each session, providing opportunities to meet new people and keep connected.

Jim Green, CEO of the Community Trust said: “Thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery players, we can look forward to kicking off this project in our new home.

“We want the sports hub to be a place where people of all ages have the opportunity to play football and enjoy being active, and projects like this will help us achieve that aim.”

If you would like to know more about this project, you can email community@chesterfc.com or contact 07512 355396 for further information.