Power NI, Northern Ireland’s leading energy supplier, has donated a £300 community grant to Antrim Rovers Under 10 girls’ football team as part of its sponsorship scheme ‘Helping Hands’.
The initiative encourages Power NI staff members to nominate local community groups and organisations to receive funding.
The local football team were nominated by Power NI employee James Stewart, and the funds will be used to purchase and sponsor new football tops for the U10 girls’ team.
The cross community football club, which is based at Allen Park on the Randalstown Road in Antrim, fields over 20 teams and boasts 250 registered players. The club has been making great strides across local leagues, with the ladies team recently securing a promotion to Division 2 in the Northern Ireland Women’s Football Association League.
The under 10 girls’ team has been fielded from the club’s Youth Academy, which was established with the aim of building community and club foundations. The success of the Academy and focus on youth development has paid dividends, with the club forming multiple teams each year from its intake.
The academy has also boosted female participation in the sport, allowing the club to grow their girls’ representation significantly over the past number of years.
Commenting on the funding Power NI employee James Stewart said:
“As the Under 10 Girls’ team coach, I’m delighted to nominate the Antrim Rovers Under 10 girls’ team to receive much needed funding from the Power for new football jerseys. The ever-growing club is an integral part of the local community, and the girls are delighted to run out in their new kit. The Helping Hands scheme is a fantastic initiative that allows us Power NI employees, support local clubs and organisations that are important to us.”
Alan Stewart, manager of the Under 10s girls team said:
“As a rapidly growing grassroots club, with new age groups forming every year, we would struggle to provide training and kits for our teams without support from local companies like Power NI. We are hugely grateful to Power NI for the generous donation."