Community Sports Foundation become Official Charity Partner

Norfolk County Football Association has today announced Norwich City Community Sports Foundation (CSF) as its official charity partner for the next two years.

Preparations are underway for the Governing Body’s annual Volunteers’ Awards Evening, which takes place tonight at Sprowston Manor Hotel and will see the partnership formally launched in front of over 200 attendees including special guests the England U21’s who took on Netherlands at Carrow Road last night.

In recent years Norfolk FA has supported various local charities including ‘The Skin Cancer Research Fund’, ‘It’s on the Ball’ and ‘Break Charity’, a Patron of which is BBC Sport’s Jake Humphrey. The television presenter and Canaries fan is also a trustee of the Community Sports Foundation.

The Foundation is Norwich City Football Club’s official charity and helps over 38,000 people every year achieve their goals through sport, supporting some of the most disadvantaged, disabled and talented people across Norfolk.

Norwich City CSF becoming the Association’s Charity Partner for the next two seasons is part of a wider partnership agreement between the two organisations which will see them working more closely together to further develop football opportunities around Norfolk.

Chairman of Norfolk FA, Michael Banham spoke of his excitement at the partnership: “We’re very proud of our support to local charities and I’m particularly enthusiastic about this partnership and what both organisations can achieve in football through working closer together.

“The work that Community Sports Foundation does around the County is a fantastic example of how sport can help and support people from all backgrounds and demographics; as such, this partnership fits in perfectly with our newly announced strategy #NorfolkFootball ForALL.”

With a charity auction and raffle taking place, proceeds from the Volunteers’ Awards Evening will go to CSF and tonight’s event starts a two year partnership of fundraising support that will contribute towards the campaign to ‘Build the Nest’ – the new state-of-the-art football facility based near Norwich Airport.

Phase 1 of the facility has been completed, and fundraising is under way for the more complex and revolutionary Phase 2, which will cost a total of £9.4million to complete.

Phase 2 will include classroom facilities, an indoor sports hall, a gym and a floodlit 3G football pitch, and when completed will allow the Foundation to reach a further 12,000 people a year.

Jackie Thornton, Head of Development for CSF said: “We are hugely grateful to Norfolk County FA for choosing us as their official charity partner. NCFA have a proven record of supporting local charities and we hope that this new partnership will strengthen our fundraising as we work towards achieving our most ambitious project ever.”

For more information surrounding Norfolk County Football Association, please visit NorfolkFA.com and for more information about Norwich City Community Sports Foundation and The Nest, visit communitysportsfoundation.org.uk.