Northern League club Birkenhead United aim to complete a $2.5 million clubroom extension and upgrade project in time to be a training venue for next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
United’s Shepherds Park has been confirmed as one of 11 training venues for the World Cup tournament for which visiting teams will arrive in July 2023.
The club has already secured more than $1.4 million in funding from Sport New Zealand/New Zealand Football, Auckland Unlimited, the Kaipatiki Local Board and the Birkenhead Licensing Trust.
The club has also submitted applications to Lotteries and Auckland Council for most of the remaining funds but have also launched a $200,000 Givealittle fundraising campaign to seek support from local businesses and the community.
Main photo: How the covered deck will look.
Describing the project on its Givealittle page, Birkenhead United say:
“To meet the needs of visiting teams, as well as the needs of our diverse and growing membership and wider Whānau, we are undertaking an ambitious $2.5 million clubroom extension and upgrade project.
“A key goal to improve facilities for females and families with baby changing and breastfeeding rooms, shower cubicles, improved privacy screening, gender-neutral referee changing spaces and accessible toilets.
“The project also includes creation of a large multi-purpose covered deck for member and wider community use and the upgrade of second-floor amenities.”
The club says all donations will be spent on construction, planned to start in September.
If fundraising targets are not met, the project will prioritise new changing rooms and covered deck, followed by an upgrade of existing changing rooms and toilets and, thirdly, an upgrade of second-floor amenities.
In the first four days of fundraising, the Givealittle campaign has raised more than $2,000.
Click here to visit United’s Givealittle page >>>>
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