A CONSORTIUM of community clubs that have joined together to secure the future of sports facilities in Bradford have been boosted by a £40,300 grant.

East Bierley Community Sports Association Ltd (EBCSAL) is a company formed by clubs in the Birkenshaw area to improve facilities for amateur sports teams.

This includes building high quality changing facilities, buying new rugby and football posts and improving the drainage of the sports fields.

The company has now received a grant of £40,300 from Kirklees Council, the last piece of a financial jigsaw that will allow EBCSAL to begin work at the site off Hunsworth Lane.

The changing rooms are used by Hunsworth AFC, East Bierley AFC and Birkenshaw Blue Dogs ARLFC, which operates two open age and seven junior sides out of the run down facilities.

Simon Armitage, secretary of EBCSAL, said the grant was brilliant news.

He said: “THis has been ongoing for three years, the facilities are used by local sports teams, dog walkers and community groups and are in such a state they should be condemned.

“Securing this funding will allow us to do ongoing work at the site and ensure future growth for our sports clubs; it’s fantastic news for us, I wish we’d gone for more now.”

Phase one of the work will involve a 20-week programme, in which the group hopes to have changing rooms built by December.

The £40,300 grant has been added to a pot of more than £400,000 that has been raised by the group, which also includes £50,000 from the Football Foundation.

Councillor Andrew Palfreeman (Con, Birstall and Birkenshaw) said he and his fellow ward councillors fully support the project.

He said: “It will be a great advantage to the local community, and the clubs have been very innovative in setting up a company.“They have done well to secure the future for the local community, and my colleague Cllr Robert Light, who is a member of the company’s board, will make sure it continues and the voice of the council is heard.”

Mr Armitage said the company also wants to become a charity to secure the future of amateur sport in East Bierley.