Pompey in The Community gets £744,250 grant to continue John Jenkins Stadium build

Pompey in the Community, the charitable arm of Portsmouth FC, was given a £744,250 Youth Investment Fund grant to bring the John Jenkins Stadium project to life – but there is still a way to go before costs are met.

CEO Clare Martin MBE said that without the substantial cash injection, bringing plans for the stadium to fruition would have been almost impossible due to higher costs since the initial forecast was made.

Clare said: ‘We’re still not there, we still need a big build but it is a massive leap towards the finish. If I believed in impossible then it would have been impossible but there’s always a way if you want it that much and it’s for the right reason.

‘Taking on a construction project at the moment, with the world the way it is, has been really challenging so this is just helping us get to the finish line.

‘A lot of the activities that we will be running there are open access where young people can just come along and get involved, giving them something positive to do. We’ve got a boxing gym, we’ve got football pitches, dance and drama, we’ve got classrooms - all to give positive opportunities for young people.’

Clare added that she hopes the new facilities will help tackle anti-social behaviour by providing community activities for young people.

The grant was awarded at a Youth Investment launch event on Tuesday, March 28 and follows previous revenue sources such as nearly £2m from the Football Foundation, almost £1m from the Levelling Up scheme and around £270,000 from the Eisner Foundation. The Covid-19 pandemic delayed progress by 12 months as well as increasing the projected cost of construction by almost £2m.

Construction at the Moneyfields site – named after Portsmouth D-Day veteran John Jenkins – began in March 2022 and the build is expected to cost £5.2m. It will provide a home for Pompey in the Community, Portsmouth Women and Moneyfields FC.

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Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said: ‘I am delighted that Pompey in the Community has been successful in their bid for funding from the Youth Investment Fund. Congratulations to Clare and team. The charity does vital work in our city's communities using the power of football to bring people together and providing opportunities to many who would not otherwise have it. Through this funding I know staff and volunteers will continue to do all they can to play their part in our city's life and ensure every young person in Portsmouth succeeds and thrives. They have my full support in doing so.’

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Pompey in the Community has run sports, education, health, inclusion and disability projects for all ages in Portsmouth and the local area for over 20 years. It was named National EFL Community Club of the Year for the second time in 2019. Currently based next to Portsmouth FC’s Fratton Park, Pompey in the Community delivers programmes to more than 32,000 individuals each year.