THREE Suffolk clubs have been awarded Football Foundation pitch improvement grants totalling more than £56,000.

Walsham-le-Willows, who are an FA Charter Standard Club with six adult teams and 24 Youth teams, have been awarded £35,700 towards work costing £53,550 at their Summer Road facilities. Walsham's main pitch is pictured above.

Macron SIL Division Two side Thurston FC will receive £12,672 towards work totalling £19,008 on their pitch at Cavendish Playing Field.

Trimley Sports & Social Club, who run two teams in the Norfolk & Suffolk Veterans’ League, have been granted £8,400 towards work costing £12,600 at their ground in High Road, Trimley St Martin.

Suffolk FA Football Development Manager Jodie Allard said: “It’s great to see these Suffolk clubs benefiting from this new FA funded scheme to improve the quality of grass football pitches; a scheme which is delivered by the Football Foundation.

“The new funding dubbed ‘The Grass Pitch Revolution’ has been made available to grassroots clubs whose pitches need some support to raise them to a ‘good’ standard with sufficient grass cover.

“The funding is linked to the FA Pitch Improvement Programme (PIP), sponsored by Parkers Pitches, which supports the improvement of grass pitch sites through bespoke advice, access to local partnerships and support towards capital and revenue funding from the Football Foundation where needed.

“Different support is available depending on whether the pitch is for grassroots clubs or serves a team within the National League System and we’ve seen many pitches improve through the support offered by the PIP programme.

“I would encourage any club, school or council who manage pitches and feel they need support improving them, to get in touch.

“A big well done again to Walsham-Le-Willows, Thurston and Trimley Sports & Social Club for taking a proactive approach to improving their pitches for the benefit of their members.”

To find out more about the Pitch Improvement Programme click here