A youth football club based in Kirby that provides coaching to children and young people of all abilities will benefit from a £1,000 donation from our Essex region.

Kirby Athletic Youth Football Club was selected to receive the funding through the Building Futures scheme, which supports organisations working with under-18s. The club received FA Charter status in its first three months of launching and has also been awarded FA Wildcat Centre for girls’ accreditation.

Karen Hardes, a spokesperson for the club, said: “We will use this funding to install a new defibrillator at our home ground, to be made available to players, parents, spectators and officials alike.”

Building Futures will deliver more than £1million to good causes across England, Scotland, and Wales. The initiative aims to support community groups working with under-18s across three categories – education & arts, health, and sport.

A total of 128 grants of £1,000 will be awarded across our 32 regional businesses to improve local facilities and the delivery of vital community projects. Three initiatives will go on to win £100,000 each through a national online public vote. The winners will be named at a gala dinner for finalists in November.

In each sector – education & arts, health, and sport – as well as the £100,000 first prize, there will be a £50,000 second prize and a £20,000 third prize, whilst a further 87 shortlisted projects will each receive £5,000.

Richard Hush, Managing Director at Persimmon Homes Essex, said: “Building Futures is all about supporting young people in our area, and we are delighted to be helping fund Kirby Athletic Youth Football Club particularly when they plan to use the funds to buy a defibrillator that has the potential to save lives.”

“We’re accepting entries to the scheme until the 15^th August, so we’d urge more people to apply by visiting www.persimmonhomes.com/charity .”