Calverton Football Club in Nottingham undergoes transformation as new kitchen is unveiled as part of Howdens £3m game changer programme
Nottingham’s Calverton Football Club is proud to unveil brand new kitchen facilities as part of a £3M investment programme to improve clubhouse facilities and bring local communities closer together, courtesy of Howdens and England Football.
Calverton Football Club is one of 450 lucky clubs across the UK to benefit from the Howdens Game Changer Programme, launched to support grassroots football by improving clubhouse facilities.
Located on Hollinwood Lane, the fantastic new kitchen at Calverton Miners Welfare was unveiled by Howdens Arnold after it was selected from hundreds of applications seeking Howdens and England Football’s support.
With 23 football teams and over 200 players, Calverton Football Club supports a diverse range of teams covering boys, girls, inclusive and senior teams. The club offers Football School from aged four, with its first team being their Under 7s upwards. Established in 1988, the club was awarded the grant due to its deep-rooted connection to the local community. Supported by the Calverton Parish Council and local schools, the club has been recognised for its inclusive approach and open to all policy.
Playing a vital role in improving income streams and the overall financial health of the Nottingham-based club, the kitchen installation will also be a hub of social activity where supporters can enjoy a cup of tea and players can retreat to celebrate together.
Viv Corcoran, Secretary to the Board of Trustees at Calverton Miners Welfare Trust, said: “We are very proud of our 3 star Accredited, community club status. Most of our players are from Calverton and we have worked extremely hard on our player pathway to continuously improve the club, which is largely down to our hard-working volunteers. Our kitchen was very old and required updating or risked closure. Our kitchen provides the club with post match refreshments which helps players forge friendships and feel included. The support from Howdens couldn’t have come at a better time as the club have just successfully been granted funds for a new floodlit 3g pitch, and with increased footfall the requirements for a fully functioned kitchen will now be met. It will create a new revenue stream as we can be more productive with a better working space and quality appliances.”
Mark Measures, Depot Manager at Howdens Arnold comments: “We hope the new installation at Calverton Football Club will provide a great base for a pre- and post-match refreshment, as well as help raise additional funds to support the club’s growth. The Game Changer Programme, which is aimed at helping grassroots football clubs thrive, has been a huge success and many more clubs could benefit in the next round of applications. Our third application window is open until 31st January 2025, and we’re excited to work with more grassroots football teams to make a difference in the communities we serve!”
The Howdens Game Changer programme was launched in 2023 by football legends Jill Scott, MBE, and Chris Kamara, MBE, who lent their support by driving home the importance of grassroots football and clubhouse facilities on their own careers. Clubs interested in benefitting from the programme are advised to visit the Howdens Game Changer website to apply before the 31st January 2025.
With depots all over the country, Howdens carries one of the largest in-stock ranges in the UK across kitchens, bedrooms, flooring, joinery, and hardware, so that products are readily available, and projects of any size can be completed without delay.