Caithness youngsters land £18.5k travel fund for next six months of football season
Aspiring young football players across Caithness have been handed a major boost after securing funding to cover their travel expenses over the next six months.
Caithness United Football Club has been awarded an £18,500 Community Grant from the Nuclear Industry Benevolent Fund (TNIBF), which the group says will support the costs of transporting players from the club’s under-12, under-14 and under-16 squads, along with Wick Academy’s under-18s, who all travel long distances to fulfil fixtures in various leagues and competitions.
Last season alone, the club’s teams collectively clocked up more than 9000 miles travelling to training and matches.
Depending on the age group, players compete in the Highland Youth Football Leagues (U16s and U18s), the Moray Youth Development League (U14s), and a number of Football Festivals for the U12s.
Trips regularly take them to Inverness and beyond, with fixtures in Fort William, Rothes, Buckie and even across the Pentland Firth to Orkney.
Club chairman Steve Bain said the grant would make a huge difference in keeping youth football accessible in the county.
“Rising fuel costs have made us increasingly reliant on self-drive minibuses to transport our players,” he said. “Without this option, it simply would not have been sustainable, but even that option incurs a very big cost to the club, given the mileage we cover week-on-week.
“We’ve had to put our coaches through courses to become qualified minibus drivers, so they can transport the players across the Highlands, which is commendable of them all, given they already dedicate so much time to training and mentoring the players.
“Our thanks also go to Caithness Rural Transport (CRT) and Wick and East Caithness Church and Community Transport for the use of their minibuses and the reliable and excellent service they provide.
“This community grant is massive for the club and the youth footballers of Caithness. Credit must go to our club’s fundraising committee, particularly Adam Shone, who identified the fund and produced the comprehensive application to TNIBF.”
Vice chairman Alan Kennedy said the award highlighted how much of a difference such support can make for rural clubs like Caithness United.
“The TNIBF Community Grant is there to support clubs and organisations financially in areas connected to nuclear sites, and Caithness United is a great example of how communities can benefit from such initiatives, particularly when you take into consideration that this will benefit 90 youth players ranging in age from 10 to 18 years old,” he said.
“Rural clubs like ours face unique challenges when it comes to providing competitive opportunities for our players. This funding means that we can now ensure our squads can travel for away fixtures and tournaments without us having to worry too much about the financial strain that involves for the next year, at least.”
Bain added that the funding will also open the door to more opportunities for young players.
“As the club continues to nurture young talent, this funding will also allow us to expand our options. Not only will they be able to fulfil their regular fixtures, but they will now be able to participate in more tournaments and challenge matches, giving players a wider range of opportunities to develop their skills and gain experience that they wouldn't normally have access to.
“It’s also about creating opportunities for young people in our community and helping them grow both on and off the football pitch. This is a fantastic example of TNIBF’s mission in action, by offering a chance to grow as footballers, make lifelong friendships, and represent Caithness, their county, with pride.”
The club hopes this partnership with TNIBF will be the start of more support to come.
“We hope to continue working with TNIBF and similar groups to ensure our young players have the same opportunities as those in more central locations,” Bain said. “This funding will open more doors for us, and with ongoing support, we believe we can achieve even more for our youth football community.”
TNIBF Fund administrator Fiona Entwistle said the organisation was delighted to support the project.
“The Nuclear Industry Benevolent Fund are delighted to have awarded a community grant to Caithness United FC to help continue support the youth community in the area through the football club and enabling young footballers in Caithness to develop to their maximum ability and fulfil their individual potential,” she said.
“The Community Grant scheme is designed to assist organisations whose mission is directly or indirectly related to the relief of financial hardship in the UK nuclear industry or communities local to nuclear sites, and so we are thrilled to see how Caithness United are representing the community and putting the funding to good use.”
Vice chair Kennedy added: “Thanks to TNIBF’s backing, Caithness United Football Club is set to continue nurturing and developing local young talent by helping to foster a passion for football across the region, and is a prime example of how this type of funding can make a lasting difference in ‘remote’ areas such as Caithness, ensuring that young people have the same opportunities to grow, compete, and succeed as those from larger towns and cities.”