Former Norwich City striker, Grant Holt was on hand to open a third generation (3G) artificial grass pitch (AGP) at Ketts Park Community Centre in Norfolk recently (Thursday 10 January 2019).

Their new facility was made possible thanks to investment from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund, which is delivered by the Football Foundation.

The grant enabled South Norfolk Council to install a new 106m x 70m floodlit 3G AGP alongside the existing natural grass pitches at the community centre. The new all-weather pitch will provide increased provision for the benefit of Wymondham Town United YFC as well as other football clubs in Wymondham and the surrounding areas.

The new pitch includes markings for 5v5, 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11 football and has been installed with floodlights to help increase capacity and availability of the facility. With no other full-size 3G AGP within ten miles of Ketts Park Community Centre, it is anticipated that local demand will be high.

South Norfolk Council were awarded a £394,292 grant from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund towards the project. The council worked alongside the Football Foundation and the Norfolk FA to compile a five-year Football Development Plan, which is a vision of how sport will be played on site with an emphasis on increasing participation.

The new surface is set to support an increase of over 1,150 people playing football at the site over the next five years, which represents a growth of 482%. Of this, significant growth in the number of women playing football is also anticipated, with 240 new participants expected.

Wymondham Town United YFC will use the 3G pitch as a training and matchday facility which will help the club grow from 16 to 22 teams. This growth will contribute to an additional 106 affiliated footballers playing in Norfolk.

Since 2000, the Football Foundation Funding Partners’ investment has provided 212 grants worth £6.8m towards grassroots sports projects worth over £13.8m across the whole of Norfolk County FA region.

Canaries legend, Grant Holt, said: “It’s brilliant because the kids now will know that every week their game isn’t going to get called off. I know from when I was young that there’s nothing more frustrating than when you haven’t played all week, you want a game and it gets called off."

South Norfolk Council Cabinet member, Yvonne Bendle, said: “Everyone has been working hard to get this project finished so that local residents can start enjoying the benefits of this fantastic new sporting venue. This is really exciting news for the residents of Wymondham and surrounding villages and shows the Councils commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of our residents by helping them keep active no matter what the weather.”

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “Grassroots sport plays an important role in communities across the UK, creating opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds. That is why I am delighted that Ketts Park Community Centre has now opened their state-of-the-art 3G AGP in Norfolk, thanks to investment from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund.

“Continuing to improve access to high-quality facilities like this one is a key aim for the Premier League, The FA and the Government. Delivered by the Football Foundation, their funding supports projects for clubs and organisations all over the country and is helping to boost the number of people benefiting from sport through better facilities.

“Grassroots football provides so many benefits for members of the community, not least of which is the opportunity to enjoy themselves. Love for our national game, something that can be found across the country, is an integral part of what drives the Foundation and its Funding Partners to keep increasing the standards and quality of our facilities.”