A grant of almost $7,000 towards equipment and playing uniforms for Feilding United AFC is a welcome boost for soccer in the small, rural community.

Feilding United is one of the largest sporting clubs in the town and has almost 300 players. Players range in age from the youngest junior at 4 years old to the oldest senior who is 62 and still going strong. Soccer is a growing sport in the community and this year has seen more growth for the club. It also marks its 50th anniversary this year.

“This grant from NZCT is really important to the growth of our club,” says Rebecca Holland, Spokesperson for Feilding United. “This year we have fielded an extra senior men’s team and the senior women’s team is now playing in a federation league against teams from Whanganui and Hawke’s Bay. Our junior numbers are continually increasing. The funding will enable us to replace old gear and meet the new kit requirements.”

It is very important for the club to keep fees as low as possible to encourage participation. “If you don’t keep the fees low you don’t get people coming back. We want as many people as possible to enjoy soccer,” says Rebecca.

Rebecca and the rest of the club are happy that their application to NZCT was successful. It follows on from another grant received from the community funder last year. “It’s really awesome for the club, especially for the kids. Getting new gear is really exciting for them and it really helps the continued development of the club.”

“We’ve always had a positive experience with NZCT. There is good information on their website, they stick to timeframes and the application process is manageable.”

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