Funding from the Trident Community Foundation has been the ‘missing piece of the puzzle’ for Alvechurch FC as they continue to grow their involvement in the local area.

The Pitching In Southern League Premier Central side have now added walking football to its ever-widening offering thanks to grant funding aimed at helping non-League clubs pursue community projects.

It is the most recent new addition to The Church's impressive range of footballing options that stretch well beyond the first team, something sporting director Mark Fogarty is immensely proud of.

He said: "If you look at our club over the last two years, we have gone from 13 junior teams to over 70.

"We have got a massive mental health and disability section. A massive women's and girls section now.

"This was a little piece in the jigsaw that was missing, that we wanted to get started with and didn't quite know when that was going to happen.

"This (funding) has kick-started us into making this happen."

Since taking on The Hayes on a 25-year lease at the 20-acre facility in 2017, Alvechurch currently offer five-a-side and futsal, along with classrooms for local schools and colleges to use.
With ambitious aims to become a hub in the south Birmingham community, walking football is another step in the right direction for the side in this journey.

One of the fastest growing formats of the sport in the United Kingdom, walking football at Alvechurch is available to people aged 50 and over.

It is estimated to be played by over 60,000 people in England and is credited with benefitting physical and mental health for the players involved.
Alvechurch started their walking football programme in early November 2023, with training sessions free of charge and open to both men and women, and are one of 84 clubs to have received a TCF grant since the initiative was launched by Pitching In three years ago – with more than £430,000 rewarded to clubs at Steps 3 and 4.

To lead the scheme, Alvechurch have appointed the Birmingham County FA's current Inclusive Coach of the Year, Kevin Richmond, with the club hoping to enter teams into league competitions in the future following a positive start to the initiative.

"It has been fantastic," Fogarty explained. "Although it is early days, we were doing it on a Monday at 4pm and we have had anything from eight and 10 people training.

"We have changed the time to 5pm on Mondays and the interest coming from the different areas of our locality has been really, really good.

"We believe that we will grow it so that eventually we will be able to put our walking football teams into the various leagues."

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