Burngreave New Deal for Communities

Mark Moran-Healey from Earl Marshall JFC talks about his experience of Small Grants.

"Earl Marshall JFC was approaching the 2006/2007 season with both excitement and fear because although we had been founded since 1999, this was going to be the first season in an 11 a side football with our little babies who we have had since they were under 7's. The excitement came from the prospect of our kids first real taste of real football and how they would cope, but the fear came from the knowledge that the cost of playing 11 a side football would spiral and although our parents pay subs and we do fundraising events this wouldn't be enough to meet our impending costs. As well as an increase in running cost we were also in great need of new equipment, so when I applied to B.N.D. I knew that we were in a period that would make or break us. Our group had been going since 1999 virtually unaided and all on a voluntary basis and over we feel we have had a great effect on the local kids as well their parents, to see people from different cultures and religions interacting with other really does give you a great sense of achievement.

The committee of Earl Marshall decided that if we going be able to go ahead with our long term aim for our group and the area we had to apply to see ifB.N.D. would be able to help us. The effect of the grant from B.N.D. has been everything we had hoped it would be, we managed to purchase assorted equipment that will keep our under 11 ' s going also it has paid for some of our running cost.

But most importantly it has helped take the kids to a football tournament in Mabelthorpe in May and this was a hugely successful trip were the kids met and played against their piers from all over England. And these boys were presented with a trophy from ex England and Man Utd captain Bryan Robson who ironically a few weeks later became the manager of Sheffield Utd.

The boys befriended kids from other more established sides who had told them they had been on footballs tours all over Europe and know this is all they talk about, but the real important thing that comes from the trip is that we had a few boys who hadn't actually been out of Sheffield, which shows what group like can do for the local community with help from B.N.D. Weare now in a stable position to offer more boys and their families the chance to become involved with our group, we call it a group because we regard it more like a family than a football team, because these boys and their families have become real friends with all of the committee at Earl Marshall.

In fact we have just set up a Under 7's side and judging by the response this area is badly in of a group like Earl Marshall, we train on Petre Street playing field on Tuesday night and if any one from B.N.D. had the time to come up you be amazed by the varying amounts of nationalities that our new side has attracted from the Burngreve area. To see children of five and six playing and communicating with children from different cultures, makes you realise groups like ours really do make a difference. And we feel that with continued support from B.N.D. we can keep increasing the amounts of sides we can other this area and give these kids a great start in life."