Rooms are a changing after club's upgrade

Paul Conway, vice chairman of the North Riding FA, had the honour of unveiling Staithes AFC’s upgraded changing facility.

The work was made possible by a grant of £25,725 from the Premier League, delivered by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF) – the largest funders of non-league football in the country.

The funding has enabled Staithes AFC, in partnership with Staithes Athletic and Social Club, to refurbish and improve its existing changing provision.

Previously, the club had to share washing facilities with teams that came to the ground for fixtures, and there were no changing rooms for officials.

The project, which cost £37,725 in total, also received £6,000 raised by members of the Staithes Sport Association and £3,000 from the Normanby Charitable Trust.

Other funding was provided by the Staithes Athletic and Social Club, NW Trading Limited and the Staithes Arts and Heritage Festival.

Richard Ward, Manager of Staithes Athletic, said: “Staithes Athletic is very grateful to the Football Stadia Improvement Fund for their funding of this development.

“Staithes is the only club in the local area operating a team competing at this level and it is important to the area that this continues.

“This project would not have been possible without the hard work of members of the Sports Association, who raised around £6,000 towards this project.

“We would also like to thank the Normanby Charitable Trust, NW Trading, Staithes Athletic and Social Club and other local organisations who contributed.

“Finally we would like to thank all the contractors who delivered the project on budget, Derek Forrest Building Ltd and Dave Wilkinson and Chris Condell for their work too.”

Peter McCormick OBE, Chairman of the FSIF, said: “The new changing pavilion will be a real asset to the club.

“They can now offer much more comfortable facilities for their players, and the club’s opposition.”