A FOOTBALL club in Penllergaer has netted a donation from a local housebuilder.
Penllergaer AFC has received a contribution of £250 from Bellway Wales, which is building new properties at its Parc Mawr development, off Brynrhos Crescent, to the south of the village.
The money will be used to support the day-to-day running of the club and to fund new equipment, such as goalposts for the junior teams.
The club has up to 200 players on its books and runs seven junior boys’ teams, three junior girls’ teams and one senior men’s team. The senior team, which plays in Division 2 of the Swansea Senior League, plays its home games at Penllergaer Playing Fields while the junior sides play at the Penllergaer Sports and Social Club.
Matthew Porch, Chairman at Penllergaer AFC, said: “We get a grant from Sport Wales but the rest of the money that the club needs to keep going is raised through subscriptions and donations such as the one from Bellway Wales.
“The money will help enormously but it is also great for us as a village-based club to have the support of a such a prestigious company with a high profile in the area.
“There is a lot of equipment, such as goalposts, bibs, cones and balls, which needs replacing on a regular basis as it gets so much wear and tear.
“We also like to have at least one coach per team who has a recognised sport leadership qualification and that means we often have to pay for those people to study to gain that certification.
“It is a constant challenge to try to raise the funds needed to run this club but we are determined to carry on providing a place where local youngster and their families can come along, socialise and play the game they love in a safe and caring environment.”
Rhodri Davies, Sales Manager at Bellway Wales, said: “Matthew embodies the huge commitment that many volunteers make week in, week out up and down the country, to keep grassroots clubs going. His dedication is clear to see as he not only took over as chairman of the club last year but is also a coach of a junior side and plays on the wing for the senior men’s team.
“When Matthew approached us to ask if we were interested in supporting the club, we were very keen to help out. It is good to hear that our donation will be used to help the club carry on providing a sporting outlet for scores of youngsters in the area.
“At Bellway we strive to have a positive impact in the communities where we build new homes and this link-up with Penllergaer AFC is a demonstration of that. We wish Matthew and all of the teams at the club the best of luck for the rest of the season.”
Bellway is building 184 homes at Parc Mawr, including a mix of three and four-bedroom properties for private sale.
For more information about the development, visit the Bellway Wales website or call the sales team on 01792 680630.
