The Love Life UK Outreach initiative in Grimethorpe, Barnsley run by ex-professional footballer Bruce Dyer has received £5,000 grant funding from Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s community grant scheme.

Dr Billings awarded the funding for the purchase of four portable floodlights for outreach work with young people.  The floodlights will allow young people to participate in the sports for longer on an evening throughout the dark night period.

Love Life UK is based at a once, derelict sports ground in the heart of Grimethorpe and is fast becoming a hub for the community to participate in sport.

Dr Billings said: “It was a great pleasure to meet Bruce Dyer and present him with a cheque for £5,000 to cover the cost of flood lighting at the centre he runs in Grimethorpe.

“I was particularly pleased to hear about the football team for girls that he is hoping to form, and I wish him well with that. I often find myself supporting activities for boys but rather less often for girls.”

Whilst visiting the sports ground in Grimethorpe, the Commissioner was interviewed by Bruce for his podcast series that he publishes on his Official Bruce Dyer Facebook page.  Bruce and the Commissioner discussed football, cricket, growing up in Leicester and their faith.

Bruce said: “This £5,000 funding has made a huge difference to how we can carry out our outreach work during the winter months.  The sports ground is a big area and the cost to repair the current static floodlights and the electricity to light them would have been too much.

“Thanks to Dr Billings, we can now provide outreach sessions to the kids in Grimethorpe and keep them active in sporting activities and away from the streets.

“I really enjoy the work we do here in Grimethorpe, with football sessions for kids of all ages and their parents on a Saturday morning and we are in the process of setting up a girl’s football team.”

For more information on Love Life UK visit  http://www.lovelifesportsground.co.uk/   You can also watch the interview on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/OfficialBruceDyerPage/