The SFP Trust was delighted to award funding of £500 from their new Club Development Grant scheme to Mearns Youth Football Club from the North Region. The club – based in Laurencekirk, Aberdeenshire – offers opportunities for players over four age-groups ranging from a 2005 team to a 2009 team and has 13 registered coaches. The initiative was developed to assist grassroots clubs in three specific areas – to increase participation by adding a new team to a club’s existing membership; to improve, enhance and sustain existing team activity through the purchase of new training equipment and/or funding First Aid training for coaches or thirdly to support Coach Education.
Mearns Youth F.C. utilised their grant to purchase new football equipment for their 2005 team as well as using some of the funds to support their 2009 coaches gain both their coaching badges and First Aid training qualifications. Ann Robertson from the club commented that …“these funds from The SFP Trust in partnership with The Kilpatrick Fraser Charitable Trust and Clydesdale Bank will allow us to continue our commitment to supporting Mearns Youth F.C. through the best possible training opportunities and match day experiences for all coaches and the boys and girls associated with the club. We are extremely grateful for the provision of this grant and offer our thanks for the opportunities that this will provide.”