The next generation of football players are set to benefit from a £3M programme aimed at improving clubhouse facilities, as Orpington Football Club in Bromley becomes the latest club to receive support from Howdens and England Football.

Orpington Football Club was named as one of 450 lucky clubs to receive a new state-of-the-art kitchen as part of the Howdens Game Changer Programme. The scheme was launched earlier this year with the aim of supporting grassroots football with improved clubhouse facilities to help bring local communities closer together.

Home to 40 teams, from ages 4 up to 55, Orpington Football Club proudly features several Men’s and a Women’s team, a boy’s academy for ages 4 – 6, a girl’s Wildcats academy for girls aged 4-10, and the SEN Stallion academy for children with additional needs. In the past five years, the club has gone from two to eight girl’s teams following a strategic focus and effort to grow their girls offering. Their girl’s teams are really beginning to flourish, with a number of players looking to join the Senior Women’s team.

Orpington Football Club was selected because of efforts club representatives have put in behind the scenes to benefit its 600 players. This has included plans to totally revamp its current facilities, following the recent successful planning permission for its site at Goddington Park.

After having to move around the surrounding areas across the years, the club has been able to call Goddington Park home since 2013. However, the current building has suffered from being tired and worn down and is not attracting much footfall during training sessions or matchdays. As part of the planning permission, the club will create a new pavilion with a café enabling more people to use its facilities. The kitchen provided by Howdens will be installed in the current building and then moved across to the new facilities once the Pavilion has been built and ready to operate.

In addition to bringing communities closer together, the pioneering Game Changer programme will play a vital role in increasing income streams and improving the overall financial health of the Orpington-based club, so that it can continue to thrive.

Julie Covill, Trustee at Orpington Football Club said: “Our current small facilities have been a bit of an eyesore for the club with many parents and visitors bringing their own coffee or popping across the road for a sandwich. People only use the building for shelter during bad weather or to use the toilets. Our new pavilion has been desperately needed, not only to help accommodate more people, but to provide much-needed additional revenue stream for the club.

“Orpington Football Club has 100 volunteers who give up a collective 38,000 hours each year to help run the club. We spend a lot of money each season on the maintenance of our pitches, so having a bigger and better café will help to improve fundraising. The new kitchen from Howdens is a real lifeline as it will regenerate our ability to provide food and drinks, and ultimately increase funds that we can put back into the club.”

Glen Westgate, Depot Manager of Howdens Bromley, added: “An important part of what we do at Howdens is aiming to make a positive impact on local communities, which is why we are delighted to be able to support Orpington Football Club.

“There is a lot of attention on grassroots football and what happens on the pitch, but we believe that the off-pitch facilities are just as important. Clubhouses are often the hub of the community, which is why we’re incredibly excited to see the new installation once it’s complete and how it will benefit the club.”

The installation work is due to start in December so the club can benefit from the brand-new kitchen in the New Year.

The Howdens Game Changer programme was launched earlier this year by football legends Jill Scott, MBE, and Chris Kamara, MBE, who lent their support by driving home the importance of grassroots football and clubhouse facilities on their own careers.

With depots all over the country, Howdens carries one of the largest in-stock ranges in the UK across kitchens, flooring, joinery, and hardware, so that products are readily available, and projects of any size can be completed without delay.