Opening Doors Project

Aim

Opening doors to sport in Annalong.Supporting our community by providing coach education and sporting opportunities for all in our community

Who are we?

Annalong FC Youth are a community football organisation founded in 2011 in the rural village of Annalong in County Down. Our club is volunteer led and key purpose is to provide football opportunities for kids and young people regardless of gender, background, race or ethnicity, we view everyone as part of the Annalong FC family.

Football is at our heart, but our work extends way beyond football. Annalong FC use football to unite people, facilitate wellbeing, aid personal development, and help build inclusive spaces so everyone can feel valued and empowered  

From our young tots teams at under 7 to competitive football under 14s, our mission is to help every child in our community experience the joy of sport as well as providing an opportunity to build lasting friendships, and the pathway created to progress through to senior football.

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are launching the Annalong FC Opening Doors Project, an exciting initiative designed to expand football opportunities in the rural village of Annalong. This project will be key to breaking down barriers and ensuring every child in the local community has the chance to play, regardless of their background, ability, age, or gender.

With your help, and match funding from Sport NI, we will grow our football programmes with opportunities for ages 7-14 and stronger pathways for young people to stay active in sport. These new opportunities will bridge the gaps in access to football, while developing confidence, friendships and healthy lifestyles.

Our key aim is to grow youth football in Annalong by creating new opportunities for girls and young people who currently lack access to age-appropriate equipment, qualified/trained coaches, or safe facilities to play sport in their local town.

We will:

• Encourage girls’ to join in creating more opportunities for female players in youth football.
• Upskill our volunteers by financially supporting five coaches to complete the Irish FA National Coaching Certificate (NCC). This will ensure our supports are confident and ready to deliver inclusive, fun sessions for every child.
• Buy age-appropriate goals so more children can play in age-and ability-appropriate environments.
• Rent indoor and outdoor space to provide sessions all year round, rain or shine, removing the barrier to play and allowing for our community to have football all year round.

This project will support Sport Northern Ireland’s Creating Opportunities program, and specifically target children and young people, and people living in a geographically remote area with limited facilities.

By supporting our campaign, you will be helping us to level the playing field in Annalong and allowing every child the opportunity to play, learn and develop to enjoy football.

How we’ll spend the money raised

Every donation raised will go directly into creating new football opportunities for young people and girls within Annalong as part of the Opening Doors project. Here is how the funding will be allocated:

Volunteer Coach Education

National Coaching Certificate (NCC) @ £220 = £1,100

(Volunteer coaches trained to deliver engaging, inclusive sessions to children and young people)

Total Coach Education = £1,100

Facilities

Pitch hire - Bignian Park (24 weeks @ £130) = £3,120

Hall hire - Mullartown House (22 weeks @ £15) = £330

Total Facilities = £3,450

Equipment 

21x7 goals (2 sets) = £4,400

12x6 goals (2 sets) = £2,400

Total Equipment = £5,800

Total Target: £10,350

With the funding raised, we will be able to upskill local coaches, purchase equipment and hire safe facilities – which means more children and young people of Annalong, and encouraging girls, can have the opportunity to play, belong and flourish through football.

Community impact

Annalong FC Youth is not just a football club – we are the heart of our village, a place where people of all ages and abilities come together to feel welcome and have a sense of belonging. The Opening Doors Project is about more than new facilities, coaching awards and new equipment; it’s about opportunity for all, it’s about removing barriers to create a stronger, healthier community.

This will actually benefit:

• Children & Young People – by providing a safe space to play, to develop their new skills and to build their confidence
• Adults & Older People – through volunteering, coaching, and making social connections, reducing isolation and lifelong participation through sport
• Girls – through offering more opportunities to play and train, which helps to address the gender disparity of females in sport.

Outside of football, training at the modernised facilities all year round will create a community hub that can always provide a welcoming place for the general community. This is everything from hosting health and well-being programmes,  social engagements such as community open days and educational workshops offering a safe, accessible place to convene. The Opening Doors Project will ensure Annalong has a space that provides connection, activity, and opportunity.

When you support this project, you’re not just supporting facilities – you are creating a legacy of inclusion, belonging, and pride for Annalong. Together, we can open doors for everyone in our community.

How you can play your part

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. Fundraise for us. If you want to run your own fundraiser – maybe a sponsored activity or similar – use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

This project closed unsuccessfully on 5th December 2025