People living in the Scunthorpe and surrounding area are set to benefit from fresh investment into local football facilities at Toolstation NCEL Premier Division side Bottesford Town.

The Poachers, a FA Charter Stand Community Football Club, have been awarded a grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, to upgrade their ground.

The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports charity and exists to improve the experience of playing football for everyone, by championing fair access to quality facilities.

This grant will enable Bottesford Town, who have typically 25 in-house teams of varying ages from six-years-old up to adult football for both boys and girls inclusive of disability teams, the chance to play football each week as a result of improved facilities.

Players from the club, in addition to other local community groups, will be able to enjoy better quality pitches with the introduction of a new floodlit 3G artificial playing surface in addition to newly developed grass pitches which will accommodate all the various permutations ranging from mini-soccer 5v5 up to adult 11v11 size football.

The grant also includes for the provision of new Stadia equipment with covered seating areas and improved disability facilities.

Bottesford Town worked with the Football Foundation and the Lincolnshire County FA, the North Lincolnshire Council and SSE Sustainable Development Fund to secure a £1.5m grant towards the project.

Poachers chairman Anthony Reeve said: "This project comes to fruition after many years of hard work from members of the club and provides a platform for the club to move forward.

"I would particularly wish to make mention of both those members of the North Lincolnshire Council and the Bottesford Town Council who have been supportive of our Community Football Club.

"It goes without saying that, without the project guidance from Caroline (Castle Consultancy) and the financial support from the Football Foundation, our ambition would not have come to fruition."

Robert Sullivan, chief executive of the Football Foundation, said: "This grant award to Bottesford Town towards developing a new 3G facility and enhanced grass playing pitches is great news for the local community.

"It will support people’s ability to play our national game locally and therefore help unlock football’s many benefits to physical and mental wellbeing.

"That’s why we’re committed to transforming the face of grassroots football facilities in this country.

"It’s therefore very welcome news to hear that this funding will support Bottesford Town in developing their facilities for their local community.

“The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA, government and Sport England – support facility development projects like this across the country over the next decade to transform our grassroots game and unlock the power of pitches.”