Michael Fabricant visited the Chasetown Football Club to meet its Chairman, Steve Jones, and Hospitality Manager, Kathryn Lamb, on Friday (21^st January) to discuss the Club’s future.

“There are two major projects underway” Michael says. “The £900,000 plan to have an all-weather artificial pitch – most of the funds have already been raised – and an ambitious plan for a major extension which will benefit the whole community.

“I hope Lichfield District Council will use CIL development money to help with the pitch, but I strongly believe that the extension could be funded by a successful Levelling Up Bid.  Kathryn Lamb explained to me how the current facilities are used throughout the week as a community centre for youngsters, oldsters, and those with special needs.  The extension will provide three times the communal space and I believe that this project – along with others in Burntwood – would personify what ‘levelling up’ is all about.  Moreover, it will be easier to provide data for the bid managers in London to demonstrate how the project will be a net gain to all in the community – not just football supporters.

“Although there are pockets of deprivation in Lichfield as there are in every community, Lichfield – as one MP said to me – is seen as a city to which other towns aspire to level up to.

“Given that the Treasury has stated that the  Levelling Up Fund is aimed at ‘post-industrial towns, former mining communities, and seaside towns’, I think it will be far easier to demonstrate the need for the fund in the ex-mining town Burntwood and how the whole town will benefit by the development of the Chasetown Football Club and similar projects.”