The Duke and Duchess of Westminster visited Chester FC Community Trust to hear how King George V Sports Hub, supported by the Westminster Foundation, is helping grassroots football and communities across Chester.

Opened by the Duke of Westminster in June 2022, the £2 million facility has transformed an underused site into a thriving hub for sport, health and wellbeing, education, and community development.The visit was an opportunity to celebrate the success of a five-year partnership between Chester FC Community Trust and the Westminster Foundation, which awarded the charity 1520,000 towards the scheme.That investment has helped Chester FC Community Trust to develop new programmes, expand its reach, and Improve more lives, with the charity now engaging thousands of participants annually, and delivering CB.7 million of social value into the community-creating [10.20 of social value for every £1 spent as demonstrated through its first independent social impact report, which was published recently.During the visit, The Duke and Duchess heard from the Chester C. Community Trust team about some of the programmes the Westminster Foundation has enabled, including Blecon Youth Hub, a Friday night youth club that now has 50 members, and Chester IC Football Education, a full-time course helping young people aged 16-18 turn their passion for sport Into a career.

The Duke and Duchess then headed pitchside to enjoy watching action from the Cheshire Girls Football League, which has been based at the sports hub since it opened. They heard from players, coaches, and officials about how the facility has helped Increase the number of girls playing football in Chester, and supports young players to reach their potential.

Jim Green, CEO of Chester FC Community Trust, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the Westminster Foundation for the belief, support, and commitment over the five years of this partnership. This is a partnership that has created a real legacy, and it was a huge privilege to welcome The Duke and Duchess to the sports hub and to see what we have created together.”

Kate Brown, Director of the Westminster Foundation, said: “This five-year partnership with Chester FC Community Trust is an example why it’s Important to make long-term Investment in communities. We were proud to support this initiative from the outset, and it is fantastic to see how King George V Sports Hub has become a thriving centre of activity, helping more children and young people in Chester to access opportunities in the community.”