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Grassroots Festival is hailed a success

THE Suffolk FA Grassroots Festival 2023 has been hailed a ‘phenomenal success’ by organisers.

THE Suffolk FA Grassroots Festival 2023 has been hailed as a ‘phenomenal success’ by organisers.

This year’s festival was staged at Kesgrave High School on Saturday and Sunday and hosted by Kesgrave Kestrels FC.Grassroots Festival 2023 2

Action from one of the Man v Fat Showcase fixtures (above) and the Disability Festival below. Main photograph: Action from the Girls' Under-7 Festival.

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More than 160 teams aged from U7s to U15s for girls and boys took part and Saturday’s matches included a Disability Festival and Man v Fat fixtures.

The Suffolk Girls’ Under-13 Cup Final was played on Sunday morning, with two first-half goals inside a minute setting Ipswich Valley Rangers on their way to a 3-0 victory over Coplestonians. The cup and medals were presented by Suffolk FA Chair Phil Lawler.

Ipswich Town Foundation were present and brought along the EFL League One runners-up trophy, while Man v Fat and the British Heart Foundation also had stalls at the festival.

Suffolk FA Football Development Officer James Morley, who organised the festival, said: “That’s another great Grassroots Festival in the book.

“That’s my seventh one and second as the lead organiser and I am really proud of the team at Suffolk FA, our Youth Council members and Kesgrave Kestrels for their support and being our hosts for the weekend.

“Also, a big thank you to Man v Fat, the British Heart Foundation, Ipswich Town FC Foundation and DE Photos as well as our ice cream van and Brian Swift, our first aider, who all helped to make it another brilliant festival to end the 2022-23 season.

“Finally, a big thank you to all the teams who took part over the weekend – I hope you all enjoy your summer, and we look forward to seeing you next season.”

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Action from the Girls' Under-14 Festival (above) and Ipswich Valley Rangers celebrate winning the Suffolk Girls' Under-13 Cup (below) after their 3-0 victory over Coplestonians in the final.

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Mark Lay, who is secretary of Kesgrave Kestrels FC, said: “The weekend has been a phenomenal success, but the most important thing is getting children playing football post-Covid.

“As a club we are very honoured to host the Grassroots Festival and we would like to thank Kesgrave High School and the other parties involved for their help this weekend and particularly our volunteers.”

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