“It's great how we have been able to grow as a club and provide more sessions for the local community. The support from Access Sport has been second to none.”

The Abbey Hey FC project has driven significant positive change and transformed youth football in Gorton, one of the most deprived areas in the UK.

When Access Sport first met Terry, he had recently taken on the challenge of developing grassroots football at Abbey Hey FC.

At the time, these sessions were promoted through small, one-off community events. His vision was clear: to provide a safe and positive space for local children outside of school hours.

We stepped into support Terry’s vision, providing funding for equipment, launching summer Soccer Schools – now known as Kids Wildcats – and helping to promote the sessions.

These camps became a lifeline for working families and a gateway into the club’s growing grassroots teams, helping to develop the club’s youth structure. We maintained regular contact with Terry to support stability and growth, which was crucial during this phase.

As demand soared, we helped secure £2,102 from the Angus Irvine Playing Field Fund, which was used to ensure sustainability, upskilling volunteers, purchasing equipment and covering pitch hire.

Initiatives like ‘The Boot Room’- offering free football boots -  have emerged to remove financial burdens and deepen community ties.

What began as a small initiative to get local children off the streets and playing football in a community-focused environment has grown into a thriving junior setup. Today, Abbey Hey boasts 19 junior teams across the ages of 7-15, comprising both boys and girls and a total of 231 participants.

Terry has been appointed Club Chairman, with a vision to create a unified pathway connecting the senior and junior teams, rather than treating them as separate entities.​

Looking ahead, we plan to apply for further funding to support Abbey Hey’s ongoing development. Given the rising pitch hire costs, we’ve helped connect the club with the council and local organisations working to secure a new training venue tailored to specific age groups for next year.