Young Worthing and Lancing footballers have the power - thanks to big-money grants

Proud dad Louis Van-Eetvelt applied to his employer UK Power Networks for a £250 Team Sport Award to cap off a successful year at Worthing Town Football Club’s under-11s.

His son Phoenix, 10, is a keen player for the team and last year they won the league cup and three football tournaments.

UK Power Networks runs the grant scheme to encourage staff at the local electricity network to volunteer in the community, support grassroots sport, promote healthy living, teamwork and develop sports opportunities.

Hundreds of community and sports groups have benefited from UK Power Networks’ Team Sport Awards since the scheme was set up. Last year alone, 86 teams benefited from a share in £21,500.

One such volunteer Louis, an electricity field engineer at the firm, who helps to keep electricity flowing to homes and businesses in Sussex, said: “I was really pleased to get the grant, which will be used to buy the players new winter jackets.

"During the winter months, with the cold and rain, it’s good to keep the kids warm and the jackets look professional.

“I volunteer as an assistant coach for the team and love watching them play and improve.

"My son is heavily involved in football outside the team so watching him and his teammates progress is really rewarding and makes me proud.

“They are a strong team and many of them have been playing football together since they were six years old.

"Playing week in, week out, they get to know how each other play and that shows on the pitch.”

Stephen Moore, manager of Worthing Town Football Club’s under-11s, said: “The grant from UK Power Networks is greatly appreciated.

"It was used to provide the team with warm and smart team jackets keeping the kids and parents extremely happy on match and training days.”

The team train on Mondays and Thursdays and play home fixtures in the under-11s Worthing and Chichester Sunday League at Worthing Town Football Club in Palatine Road.

Meanwhile, youngsters at a Lancing football team are celebrating a grant from the local power firm for new training gear.

Thomas Burch was awarded a £250 Team Sport Award by his employer, UK Power Networks, for new footballs, cones and training equipment at Lancing United Football Club’s under-8s team, the Colts.

Thomas’s eldest son Jack, who is seven, plays for the Colts, which train Saturdays and play home matches Sundays at Croshaw Recreation Ground, in Grafton Drive, Lancing.

Thomas, a protection and commissioning engineer at UK Power Networks, said: “It was great to support the team and I feel proud of the company for supporting local sports. This will make the training sessions better for the boys.

“As they get older, they are doing more complicated training sessions and having the right equipment to do that properly is great. The boys will be happy to have new shiny equipment!

“The team has also bought a cover for players sitting on the bench in the first half of games. The weather has been atrocious over the winter, so the cover will keep the bench dry for them.

“The players are typical boys with lots of energy and football gives them an outlet to run off steam. They enjoy coming together from three schools in different parts of the town.”

Matt Andrews, from Lancing United Football Club, said: “We really appreciate the donation from UK Power Networks. The money has been put towards some new training equipment and balls for the boys which is vital for teams such as ours at grassroots level to develop and grow. The boys are over the moon with it all.”