Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club Academy moves forward
A new academy being developed by Staveley Miners Welfare Football Club is being redesigned. The completed academy will support young people to gain qualifications in sport.
The project, which is funded through the Staveley Town Deal, had been progressing well over the last two years but due to inflation in construction costs the project is being redesigned whilst still aiming to deliver the same outcomes for young people in Staveley.
The original design would have seen a second storey extension to the clubhouse with new classroom facilities upstairs. Instead, two older buildings will be refurbished and a new unit in the club’s colours will be erected.
Terry Damms, chairman of the club, said: “This is an inspiring project that will create a new facility for 16 to 18-year-olds to gain qualifications and take the first step towards a career in the sports industry.
Unfortunately, ongoing inflation has meant that we can no longer expand our existing clubhouse, but we will instead be refurbishing existing buildings and creating a new freestanding unit.
This will not impact the quality of education we can provide or the numbers of people who can be enrolled. We’re continuing to finalise these updated designs, but we are aiming to welcome the first learners on site in September 2024.”
Students at the new academy will be able to work towards a Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Sports Coaching and Development. The classroom space will also be used to provide community-based qualifications such as refereeing.
Ivan Fomin, chair of the Staveley Town Deal Board and Destination Chesterfield Board member, said: “This is a fantastic project, that will help transform young people’s futures. The Town Deal Board aims to ensure that Staveley is a place to start, to stay and grow and we can help realise this by investing in training facilities where young people can get the qualifications they need to succeed.”
As well as developing the Skills Academy the club led the site clearance and refurbishment of the car park opposite the Chantry Playing Fields. The enhanced car park provides more spaces and better visibility. It will not only help parents dropping their children off to the club’s youth games, it also serves the cemetery and links up with Poolsbrook Country Park and the Trans Pennine Trail.
Accelerator Funding through the Staveley Town Deal was also used to make drainage improvements to the junior pitches on the Chantry Playing Fields. These have helped ensure the pitches can be used throughout the year by young people in Staveley.
Staveley was one of 101 towns across England invited to make a bid for a Town Deal, and based on the Town Investment Plan was awarded £25.2m in March 2021. The funding will support nine projects which will help regenerate Staveley, creating economic growth and new opportunities for local people. All £25.2 million funding must be spent by March 2026.
Find out more about the Staveley Town Deal by visiting: www.chesterfield.gov.uk/staveley-town-deal
Image supplied by Staveley Miners Welfare F.C. – Designed by Verteks Associates Ltd
