Kirkham Juniors secures future of grassroots football in the town

Businesses have rallied around one of Lancashire oldest grassroots football clubs to help raise more than £50,000 in just four months and secure its long-term future, ensuring it continues to help and inspire thousands of junior players.

Kirkham Juniors FC was originally formed in 1972 and runs more than 20 teams, thanks to the dedication of its volunteer coaches and committee members.

But it has had to rely on local authority and private pitches across Blackpool and the Fylde, meaning its teams don’t have dedicated match venues to call their own and games frequently fall victim to bad weather or pitches being overused.

The club launched its Project Home campaign in February, seeking to raise £70,000 to restore the pitches at the William Segar Hodgson Playing Fields in Kirkham and create a permanent home for more than 300 young players. 

The appeal highlighted the “once in a generation opportunity” to bring football back to the heart of the town and secure the future of the club. 

Today, the club is delighted to announce that its Crowdfunder campaign has now ended and has raised over an incredible £50,000 through a combination of online donations and direct contributions from supporters and a number of local businesses that made sizeable contributions,

Discussions with a number of contractors have now enabled costs for the first phase of works to be significantly reduced.

As a result, the funds raised to date will allow the club to focus on its immediate priority of bringing the site back to a playable standard as quickly as possible.

The club has also secured a 25-year lease on the playing fields from Kirkham Town Council. The agreement provides long-term security for the club and ensures that grassroots football will continue to have a permanent home in Kirkham for many years to come.

Kirkham Juniors FC provides grassroots football for both boys and girls aged from under 5s to 16 and tens of thousands of youngsters have benefitted from representing the club over the last 54 years.

Fundraising activities for the club over the last few months have included bag-packing events, sponsored walks, a sponsored football dribble along Blackpool seafront and even a special mums' football match, which brought together players, parents and supporters in a fantastic show of community spirit.

Club chairman Karl Swan said: “This achievement has been made possible by an incredible response from across the local community.

"Businesses, families, volunteers and supporters have all played their part, while teams throughout the club have organised their own fundraising initiatives to help drive the campaign forward.

 “To have raised more than £50,000 in such a short space of time is incredible. While further improvements and investment will be required over the coming years, the progress made so far represents a major step forward for the club and the wider community.

 “Securing a 25-year lease on the site with Kirkham Town Council is another huge milestone. It gives us the security and stability to plan for the future and ensures grassroots football remains at the heart of Kirkham.

Club Treasurer Jemma Hall added: “For our 350 members, coaches, volunteers and supporters, this is a proud moment. We are excited about what comes next and grateful to everyone who has helped us reach this stage."

Work is now underway to prepare the facilities for the future. The club has appointed groundsman Graham Kite, who is currently carrying out essential work to bring a number of the pitches back to a playable standard ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Further investment will be required in the future for the site where the club will explore external funding opportunities through organisations such as the Football Foundation, Lancashire FA and local authorities for larger infrastructure projects such as drainage improvements.

For now, the focus remains firmly on restoring the pitches and creating a safe, playable environment for young people across the community.

 For further information about the project, fundraising efforts or sponsorship opportunities please contact:  Jemma Hall, Kirkham Juniors FC Email: [email protected]