The funding is being awarded as grants from the Foundation’s Club Preparation Fund. This has been created to help clubs prepare their buildings to safely reopen in line with government guidance around hygiene and social distancing, and the FA’s plans for a ‘phased return’ that were announced on 18th July.

136 grants were awarded to clubs across the county totalling £68,000. This will benefit 1,974 local football teams in the area.

These Club Preparation Fund grants will go towards football sites to satisfy the extra hygiene measures that Government guidance requires. This includes:

• Installing hygiene facilities, such as hand sanitiser dispensers, soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers and waste bins

• Modifications, such as safety screening, contactless payment systems and signage

• Facility maintenance work, such as repairing hand basins and hot water provision

• Professional inspections that may be necessary due to the prolonged period of closure resulting from the pandemic – including inspections of water quality, gas and ventilation

Oliver Hitchcox, Facility & Investment Lead at Birmingham County FA, said: “We are delighted that a significant number of teams within Birmingham County FA are going to benefit from this funding. It will enable them to safely return to football, in line with Government and FA guidelines. We are grateful to the Football Foundation and their partners for the ongoing support they have provided for our clubs.”

The investment follows the Foundation’s Pitch Preparation Fund that awarded £7 million to 2,902 organisations across the country. This is enabling over 9,000 football pitches to be made match-fit, and is benefiting more than 33,000 football teams.