Nantwich Town have launched a range of new initiatives and activities under its “Dabbers in the Community” project.
The plans include creating additional income to invest in the club’s facilities, as well as expand the commitment to provide support for the community.
In 2023, the club converted the main pitch to a 3G one has led to a significant growth in number of teams and activities.
Club chairman Jon Gold said: “We now have a record number of 76 teams and more than 1,000 registered players across our club, including 250 female and 70 pan-disability footballers.
“We are now also hosting regular mini-tournaments, and every month continue to expand our recreational offering.
“We also provide coaching in four local schools and recently announced an exciting partnership with Brine Leas school to launch a football education academy starting in August 2025.”
The FA produces figures to value community clubs and it says that Nantwich Town is now worth £4.2 million per annum of value to the local community.
Mr Gold added: “We are all focussed on building on this and are planning further ahead to ensure that our facilities continue to meet the high demands of all our players, parents and supporters.
“Our original 3G pitch, the Applewood Arena, which has been in place for nearly 20 years and is the foundation which we built our valued community football offering on, is now in need of urgent refurbishment.
“In the near future, we need to upgrade the pitch, replace the boarding and netting and provide some covered viewing areas for parents and supporters.
“Once we have done this, we would also like to build a community hub with extra toilets, changing rooms and a carer/education room.”
Lyndon Wain, the club’s football development officer, added: “We have built something really special here at Nantwich.
“Dabbers in the Community is the next exciting phase of our development and will now allow us to socially strengthen our ties with local families and support those who need us most.”
As part of the launch, Dabbers in the Community will provide further support to those who need help and assistance, including:
– provide 10 free football spaces annually within our teams for young boys and girls
– allow access to 3G pitches for 20 daytime hours a week for local schools and small businesses
– launch a club-hosted and funded South Cheshire inter schools cup competition for boys’ and girls’ teams across Years 1 and 2 (ages 5-7) to help increase participation and access to football locally, with finals to be played on stadium pitch
– host a two-hour free coffee and tea morning for over 65s every Friday morning at the club
– support 20 free season tickets for our first teams for disabled supporters
– fund and arrange annual hospital Christmas visit with gifts for children hospitalised in festive period
– carry out regular litter picking in and around the club and the surrounding areas
Mr Gold added: “We have built a strong community volunteer workforce – we think it’s the largest in South Cheshire – and we sincerely hope that many of our coaches, players, parents and supporters to get behind this additional initiative.”
Richard Embley, the club’s volunteer head of female football, said: “Every member of the senior leadership at the club have endorsed the concept, but they have also taken on a personal challenge in 2025 to help raise awareness and generate sponsorship funds for Dabbers in the Community.
“These include a skydive, the 3 Peaks challenge, a cycle ride from Lands’ End to John O Groats, a long distance swim, and a 10k run.
“The more we raise, the more we can invest in our facilities and our community, and we are so well placed at the heart of Nantwich to allow the most vulnerable in our community to access these fantastic facilities.”
Additional volunteers and local partners are sought to help the club.
Anyone interested can email [email protected] or call Richard on 07881 823773 to register interest in donating, supporting, fundraising and helping us to organise events and activities.
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