Lanarkshire firms and groups urged to dig deep and back Stonehouse football club

Businesses and community groups in Stonehouse have been encouraged to sponsor a youth football academy after it began running the village’s main sports facility.

Following South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture’s decision to close 28 venues across the area, including Tileworks Park, Royal Albert FC applied to the council to take over the running and maintenance of Stonehouse Violet’s old ground.

The aim is to ensure a facility exists for both the West of Scotland Fourth Division side and six youth teams that it supports, all within its current base in Stonehouse.

They would need a one-off sponsorship payment of £500, or backing of £50 a month, for the project to succeed.

Royal Albert’s volunteers were delighted to discover the council had given them the chance to run Tileworks Park as part of a Community Asset Transfer (CAT) Light, with the potential to take over the facility on a full-time basis in the new year.

To help make that dream a reality, Albert are seeking local businesses and community group to dig deep, allowing Royal Albert to continue their hard work.

A Royal Albert spokesperson said: “As a community club, completing this asset transfer would allow us to seek funding opportunities, which would improve football facilities in the village.

“We would hope to gain the support of the community.

“Our committee are all volunteers, but we are working with the council to make the dream a reality.

“We would like to thank South Lanarkshire Council for all their help during this process.

“The primary goal is to safeguard the Stonehouse Tileworks Sports Ground and ensure the site remains open for the local community and beyond.

“Royal Albert FC understands that the community of Stonehouse plays a vital role in securing