The Scottish Football Partnership Trust was delighted to be able to make an award of £20,000 to Carnoustie Panmure Football Club SCIO to assist with the installation of a replacement 3G surface at Pitskelly Park.
The project, which was completed at the end of March, 2017, was the culmination of a lengthy process which saw four local football teams – Monifieth Ladies F.C., Carnoustie Panmure F.C., Carnoustie Amateur F.C. and Carnoustie YM – coming together to try and encourage the local Council to increase and improve the provision of football facilities and participation in the local area. With the support of Angus Council, negotiations eventually saw the group establish themselves as a charity known as Carnoustie Panmure FC SCIO to allow them as an organisation to apply for a Community Asset Transfer of the site at Pitskelly Park which included a full-size natural grass pitch, a badly worn 2G training pitch and a Clubhouse. Such was their dedication to ensuring that the project was operated to the best standards possible that the SCIO was awarded the Legacy Award under the Scottish FA’s Quality Mark scheme.
It took three years for the Community Asset Transfer to go ahead and this was against the background of years of fundraising and hard work to make the project a reality.
Enormous recognition must go to all the club volunteers and supporters of the project who gave of their time and money to raise £36,000 as well as the local companies who also donated generously – a tremendous effort by all concerned. The multi-partnership project, which also attracted investment from the Norton Trust and Social Investment Scotland, was finally given the go-ahead in January, 2017.
The new surface, installed by Allsports, hosted its first match on 25th March, 2017 : Monifieth Ladies U-11s –v- Dundee West U-11s and is now used regularly by over 500 players on a weekly basis. In addition to Carnoustie Panmure FC (SCIO), the new and improved facility is well used by other community groups including women’s football, walking football and over-35s football.
The project is a good news story for the area which will benefit the local community for years to come by providing better access to modern facilities and encouraging even greater participation in football for the next generation of youngsters.