A Cheltenham-based football club has received a welcome cash boost of £2,500 from local housebuilder CALA Homes to help fund the building of a new clubhouse.

Charlton Rovers AFC Youth, now based in Shipton Oliffe, runs youth teams for children aged between eight and 18, along with a senior team and an academy for younger children aged between six and eight.

The club, which currently has in the region of 450 people playing football on a weekly basis, was founded in 1976 and is now run by enthusiastic parents and friends of the club and players.

The club has recently signed a lease on a piece of land and now needs to raise vital funds to redevelop the changing block, as the previous block has been demolished as it was unsafe and unfit for purpose.

Planning has been granted for a new block consisting of changing rooms, official's rooms, public toilets and a club room. The club is reaching out to local businesses to help contribute towards the £60,000, which is required to complete the redevelopment of the site and give the club a new home for years to come.

The CALA Homes Community Bursary Scheme launched in February 2018 and invited local charities, groups and organisations across Cheltenham to apply for funding for an important project, to enable them to continue their hard work within their community.

Charlton Rovers AFC was chosen as a recipient of this year's bursary, with the money being used towards improving vital facilities. The club plans to use the money to build a clubhouse and changing rooms at the new site.

Alex Vacalopoulos, a manager of one of the youth teams at Charlton Rover Athletic Football Club, said: "We're absolutely delighted with the generous donation from CALA Homes. Our club provides a basis for promoting physical activity, creating life-long friendships and a great forum for people in the village to get together. The funding will contribute to providing a place for thousands of people, over many years, to come together in the community and be involved in sport."