The Football Association and energy supplier E.ON today announced a new long-term partnership to support grassroots amateur football in England with a new decarbonisation programme to support clubs in reducing their energy costs and helping the environment.
The new partnership will see the launch of intervention packages, helping grassroots clubs become more sustainable as well as inspiring their wider communities.
Grassroots football clubs across England will be invited to apply for support to help make their clubs greener and more sustainable.
In a move echoing soccer’s most high-profile energy tie-up, Ecotricity boss Dale Vince’s ownership of professional club Forest Green Rovers, E.ON will provide bespoke energy saving advice for community-based clubs alongside energy-saving advice and educational resources.
Clubs will also benefit from investment into upgrades and sustainable energy solutions as part of the programme. Further details around the support on offer and how to apply will be announced soon.
The FA’s chief executive Mark Bullingham said: “Our new partnership with E.ON will provide many of our grassroots clubs with valuable support and guidance to help them become more sustainable in the future. This includes working with clubs so that they can make a positive environmental impact in the communities they serve, as well as helping them to save money by identifying new energy-efficient ways to run their clubs.
“We’re delighted to be working with E.ON on this important area of our game, and we look forward to sharing further details with grassroots clubs in the coming months around our new support programme, including infrastructure upgrades and educational resources that will be on offer to them.”
Chris Norbury, Chief Executive of E.ON UK, said: “Creating the more sustainable country we all want and need will take all of us working together – in our homes and businesses and across entire communities. We’re excited to be working with one of the biggest networks of community organisations anywhere in the world – the FA’s grassroots football network.
The supplier’s head of marketing Scott Somerville added: “The connecting power of sport and in particular grassroots football is evident everywhere you look.
“We’re proud to be creating this programme with the FA to help deliver meaningful change around our shared values and further build on the exceptional work we continue to do with the likes of Veloce in Extreme E and Nottingham Forest FC.”
Further information on how grassroots football clubs can register their interest in the programme will follow in due course.
