Latest news with #CumberlandFA
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Carlisle school's £1.5m plan for padel and football pitches
A private school plans to spend £1.5m on sports facilities including a 3G Artificial Grass Pitch and a new Padel tennis court, which it intends to make available to the local facilities at Austin Friars school, in Etterby Scaur, Carlisle, are being developed in partnership with the Football Foundation and Cumberland FAThe school hopes the provision of a Padel court - a racket sport combining elements of tennis and squash which is tipped to become an Olympic sport - will support and inspire future Chris Hattam said: "Offering support to the community is a core responsibility of our school, and we will strive to provide access to these new facilities." The independent day school said the football facility, which will be built to Fifa standards, should be ready for use next Lewis, football development manager at Cumberland FA, said he hoped it would become a "thriving community hub for local grassroots sport", such as football, rugby and American football. The building project is funded by a mixture of "benefactors" and "partnerships through a number of agencies", a school spokesman plans also include a new art and design centre and a food technology department, which the school hopes may support the local hospitality has announced plans to invite primary schools to use the space and "educate parents at a series of health-oriented evening classes". Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Uppies and Downies leads to change of venue for county cup final
Plans to hold this season's Fred Conway Cumberland Cup final at Workington Reds' Borough Park have been shelved - because of Uppies and Downies. The county senior cup showpiece between Penrith and Carlisle City was due to be staged at the Reds' ground later this month. But the Cumberland Football Association are now seeking a new venue for the 2025 final after receiving police advice and conducting a risk assessment. The final was due to be held in Workington on the evening of Tuesday, April 22. That, though, is also the date for the second of the three-game series in the historic Uppies and Downies mass ball game which takes place in the west Cumbrian town every Easter. The Cumberland FA said that, after announcing the scheduled final, they were contacted by Workington Reds, who highlighted the clash with Uppies and Downies. — Cumberland FA ⚽️ (@CumberlandFA) April 3, 2025 The county FA said that, following this, "we conducted a risk assessment in line with our health and safety processes. "We have also liaised with Cumbria Police, who have advised that we will be unable to host the final at Borough Park on the evening of Tuesday, April 22 due to various reasons, as a result of the clash with Uppies and Downies. "Because of this, we are working with both Penrith AFC and Carlisle City to find an alternative solution, with a further update to be issued in due course." Workington Reds hosted last year's final though the majority of finals in recent times have been staged at Carlisle United's Brunton Park.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Date and venue confirmed for Fred Conway Cumberland Cup final
Details have been confirmed for this season's Fred Conway Cumberland Cup final. Carlisle City will face Penrith at Workington Reds' Borough Park on Tuesday, April 22. The Northern League Division One rivals will go head to head in the county senior cup showpiece in west Cumbria, with the match to kick-off at 7.30pm. It will be one of the last games at Borough Park before a summer of demolition work at the ground, before the building of a new community stadium. Cumberland Football Association bosses have also described the occasion as "bittersweet" as it will be the last season that the cup is named after their late former chairman Fred Conway. We're pleased to confirm details for this year's Fred Conway Cumberland Cup Final! 🏆 ⚽ @penrith_afc 🆚 @CarlisleCityFC 📆 Tuesday 22 April ⏰ 7:30pm 📍 Borough Park, @WorkingtonAFC #FredConwayCumberlandCup — Cumberland FA ⚽️ (@CumberlandFA) April 1, 2025 Confirming the final's date and venue, Cumberland FA chief executive Ben Snowdon said: "Whilst we appreciate that we rarely please everyone when it comes to the location of our finals, this decision is filled with bittersweet sentiment. "This will be the last season that the competition is named after our late chair Fred, as we always said we would revert to the Cumberland Cup after three finals, as we believe this is what he would have insisted upon, and we therefore plan to honour his legacy through different means. "It therefore feels fitting that the last Fred Conway Cumberland Cup final will be held at Borough Park, a stadium and a place which he loved, ahead of its major redevelopment in the coming years." It will be the second successive year that Workington's ground has hosted the final, Reds themselves winning the cup last season by defeating Carlisle United. The majority of finals in previous recent years were at United's Brunton Park ground, which hosted every other final since 2007, except 2022's final, which was at Penrith's Frenchfield Park. Carlisle City, who defeated Cleator Moor Celtic in their semi-final, will be out to regain the cup they last won in 2022. Penrith, who got past Aspatria in the last four, are looking to become county senior cup winners for the first time since 2010.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tributes to long-serving Cumberland FA officer as she leaves role
Long-serving Cumberland Football Association official Helen Aitchison has been described as an unsung hero as she leaves her role. Helen, who has spent 20 years with the county FA, has been their longest-serving staff member and their women and girls football development officer. While she has had a number of roles with the Cumberland FA, her work in increasing opportunities for women and girls to play the game in the county in particular has drawn praise from colleagues. The Cumberland FA's chief executive, Ben Snowdon, said: 'I honestly don't think that Helen understands or gives herself the credit that she deserves in terms of the impact she has had on the amount of women and girls who play the game within Cumberland. 'In fact, I don't think that there will be many people involved within women and girls football who, when they think about it, haven't been supported or even inspired by Helen in some way.' In a statement, the county association praised Helen for her pivotal role in the 'overwhelming growth and doubling of participation within women and girls football', including her support for the creation of the girls' county cup, the West Cumbria Youth Girls section, CFA Women's League and in over-35s provision. After 20 years at Cumberland FA, the County FA are sad to announce the departure of our longest serving staff member and Women and Girls Football Development Officer, Helen Aitchison. Read more ⬇️ — Cumberland FA ⚽️ (@CumberlandFA) March 31, 2025 She also oversaw the first elite girls' coaching centre in the county, which was, the county FA said, the first stepping stone for numerous players including Georgia Stanway, the Bayern Munich and England midfielder from Barrow. Helen, who joined the Cumberland FA in 2005, was also involved in establishing the CFA Charter Standard Festival, helped build a network of female coaches and also led on marketing and communications to grow the Cumberland FA brand, as well as creating charity partnerships. Ben Snowdon added: 'Her motivation and passion came from her huge love of the game but also was born out of the frustrations and lived experience that she had growing up as a young female player and being told that she was unable to play the game past a certain age. 'This burned deeply inside of Helen and she wanted to ensure that women and girls had an ever-increasing number of opportunities to play the game within the county. 'She leaves the women and girls game in a much better place than it was when she started 20 years ago.' Helen said she felt lucky to have worked in her 'dream job' for so long and added: 'Throughout the years, I have seen plenty of changes in the world of football and seen the growth first hand in Cumbria, but one thing remains constant — the love we all share for the game. 'As I step away, I carry with me plenty of memories and shared experiences with so many fantastic volunteers and players – they really are the reason girls and women's football is where it is today. 'Football really is so much more than just a sport; it's a way to connect, inspire, and empower.'
