Club praise for new foundation fund

Basford United chairman Chris Munroe believes the Trident Community Foundation is arriving at a crucial time for the club at the end of a uniquely challenging year.

The TCF Fund, which launches today and has been backed by Nottingham Forest legend Stuart Pearce, allows Basford and their Pitching In Northern Premier League counterparts the chance to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to help establish community-focused projects.

The Trident Community Foundation has been founded by a combination of Entain’s grassroots sport investment programme, Pitching In, and the three Trident Leagues – The Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues.

Entain, owner of Ladbrokes and Coral, has donated £150,000 to establish the TCF Fund for distribution over the remainder of the 2020/21 season and the project has been welcomed by the Lions chairman.

“Initiatives like this are really valuable, especially at a time when funds are very limited and quite stretched from having to eat into our reserves,” Munroe said.

“We have a lot of potential ideas, including very small ones that are community based that would really suit this project.

“We are very much a community-focused club. We run almost 30 teams and cater for every age, gender and ethnicity. Not only are clubs like ours vital for the community in terms of involvement, they are also very important in providing a stepping stone to higher level clubs.”

Basford sit second, behind leaders Mickleover on goal difference, in the currently suspended Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division and returned to action for the first time since October on Tuesday night, beating Rushall Olympic 5-0 in the FA Trophy.

“Clubs at our level have been stuck in the middle,” Munroe said. “We have been unable to get grants because we are not classed as elite, and grassroots support has been focused more on loans than grants.

“The last thing you need to do at a time like this is take out loans, so grant-based projects like the TCF Fund are very welcome.

“We are looking forward to seeing what we can apply for as we look to start some new community projects. The timing is crucial and it’s a very good time to launch this.”

Pearce, who made more than 500 appearances in a 12-year spell at Forest and later managed the club, has also thrown his support behind the TCF Fund.

“Initiatives like this are close to my heart as I am proud of my non-league background,” said Pearce, who began his career at Wealdstone before rising through the ranks.

“Non-league clubs are the hubs of their communities and people have connections to these clubs going back generations. Bringing people together, especially in these fractured times, is vitally important and initiatives such as this will help do that.

“The timing is absolutely spot on. The true mark of help is when people really need it – and the football community at this level really needs it.

“I look forward to seeing the projects that get off the ground as a result of the Trident Community Foundation.”

Following a simple application process, potential projects will be reviewed by the TCF board – which will be chaired by David Emery, editor-in-chief of The Non-League Paper, and also consists of three Trident League chairmen and two Entain representatives.

Pitching in Northern Premier League chairman Mark Harris is part of the TCF board and hailed ‘a hugely welcome piece of good news’ in a year like no other.

“A number of our clubs have been doing fabulous work in their local communities this year,” Harris said.

“Some have been involved in supporting food banks and picked up on Marcus Rashford’s initiative to feed children. That just shows what our level of the game is about.

“Challenging doesn’t even begin to describe this year. But the key thing is that through sticking together, and through initiatives such as the TCF Fund, there can be a bright future.

“Our non-league system is unique. We must protect it and cherish it, and initiatives like this help do just that.”

Entain – owner of Ladbrokes – has launched a multi-million pound investment programme, Pitching In, designed to support and promote grassroots sports. The programme includes a flagship partnership with The Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues - collectively known as The Trident League, as well as a partnership with the UK sports charity SportsAid. For more details see: https://entaingroup.com/sustainability/pitching-in/