Duke and Duchess of Westminster visit the Chester FC Community Trust

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 £520,000 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 £8.7 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 FC Community Trust team about some of the programmes the Westminster Foundation has enabled, including Blacon Youth Hub, a Friday night youth club that now has 90 members, and Chester FC 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.”

About the Westminster Foundation:

Westminster Foundation is proud to serve as the primary charitable vehicle for the Duke of Westminster and Grosvenor businesses, uniting resources, relationships, and shared purpose to build brighter futures.

Primarily a place-based funder in Westminster, Chester, Lancashire and Sutherland, it builds meaningful partnerships with local charities rooted in their communities. Our focus is early intervention, identifying and addressing risks before they escalate, so children and young people get the support they need at the moments it matters most.

Westminster Foundation’s work goes beyond funding. It works alongside partners to strengthen their organisations, encourage collaboration, and address the systemic conditions that hold deep-rooted problems in place.

About Chester FC Community Trust:

Chester FC Community Trust is proud to be the official charity and club community organisation for Chester Football Club.

It uses the Chester FC brand to inspire and improve Cheshire West communities through sport, education, health & wellbeing, and social inclusion, supporting its vision of happier, healthier and fairer communities with Chester FC at their heart, where everyone is empowered to reach their potential.

About King George V Sports Hub:

King George V Sports Hub features a full-size floodlit 3G artificial grass pitch, multi-purpose clubhouse, refurbished pavilion, natural grass rugby pitch, and changing rooms.

The project was made possible thanks to a £1m investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, together with partnership funding from the Westminster Foundation, Cheshire West & Chester Council, Avenue Services, Ursula Keyes Trust and Chester FC Community Trust.

Pictured - Jim Green, CEO of Chester FC Community Trust, The Duke and Duchess of Westminster, and Sue Terry, of Cheshire Girls Football League, with players from Upton JFC Girls.