Local club Chilcompton Sports are launching an innovative and eco-friendly way of making youth football more affordable for parents and raising important funds for the club’s development.

We all know how expensive sporting activities can be, and football is no exception. Football boots can reach premiums of £100 plus. Children grow at an exceptional rate and can need more than one pair of boots in a season. As a club, Chilcompton Sport recognise this is not always achievable for parents and have decided to launch a pilot scheme. The scheme aims to not only help parents with the affordability for their children to play football, but to benefit the club and its players alike.

The scheme which is being launched mid-September will last three months while it is trialled and is being called the “Boot Room”. Members of the Sports Club or the general public are encouraged to donate any outgrown or unwanted football boots to Chilcompton Sports Club. The club representative for the Boot Room will then offer the boots for a small fee to anyone in need via their social media platform. Any funds raised from the scheme will be re-invested into the club and its players.

“As a parent myself with two boys who love to play football, I am always in need of new boots as my children are growing so fast. I found that I had several pairs of outgrown boots at home with plenty of life left in them, As a member of the fundraising committee I wanted to do something that helped other parents, but also raised much needed funds for our club. The Boot Room seemed to be the perfect solution, not only will parents have access to pre-loved boots at a reasonable price, but it’s also environmentally friendly. ” Said parent and U11s Manager Hayley Blanning.

If you have boots or accessories such as shin pads you would like to donate, please contact [email protected]. Pre-loved boots available in the Boot Room will be posted on the Chilcompton Sport Facebook Page.