Leeds United legend opens new Pool sports pavilion (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Leeds United legend Eddie Gray opens new Pool sports pavilion

7:22pm Wednesday 8th August 2012 in General

Leeds United legend Eddie Gray officially opened the new changing rooms at Pool Sports and Social Club near Otley .

The new sports pavilion – named the Phoenix – comprises large en-suite home, away, and officials’ changing rooms, a kitchen and disabled toilets.

The opening will allow Pool AFC to continue running a veterans team, three open age teams, a ladies team and juniors at Under-16, Under-15, Under-14, Under-11, Under-ten and Under-eight level, as well as coaching five and six-year-olds.

The club worked in partnership with the West Riding County FA to secure a £34,400 grant from the Football Foundation.

Funded by the Premier League, The FA, and the government (via Sport England), the Football Foundation is the country’s largest sports charity.

Since it was launched in 2000, the Foundation has awarded around 8,000 grants worth more than £420m towards improving grassroots sport.

Other organisations that contributed to the project were: Green Leeds, Leeds Wellbeing (West North West Area support team), The Kirkby Foundation, Pool Parish Council, and The Village Recreation Ground Management Committee (RGMC). The landscaping along with a water supply installation to aid pitch irrigation was funded by Grantscape. The club also raised £5,000 towards the project.

Club secretary Peter Wilkinson said: “Our lack of experience was a problem when planning and starting this project. Thankfully, one of our juniors’ parents, Steve Kirk, came on board. With his help and much advice and guidance from the Football Foundation, and West Riding FA, the Phoenix project was successfully launched.”