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THE FA gave a big boost to grassroots sport on Wednesday morning, by committing to three years of funding to the Football Foundation in a new investment worth £135 million.

Along with the Premier League and the Government, The FA will invest £15 million per year over three years to enable the Football Foundation, the UK's largest sports charity, to continue its work.

The FA's Chief Executive Brian Barwick joined Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Football Foundation Chief Executive Paul Thorogood and Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore to make the announcement in the shadow of Wembley Stadium, at Stonebridge Recreation Ground on Wednesday, just hours after The FA's Vision for the next four years was announced to the world.

Stonebridge is one of more than 5,000 projects which the Foundation has funded to improve facilities, create opportunities and build communities throughout England.

The facility has been transformed with the help of a £1 million Football Foundation grant awarded to the Hillside Housing Trust and the site now boasts state-of-the-art facilities, comprising a new four-room changing pavilion housing a mini gym, a café, a multi-purpose hall, training rooms for coach and referee education and a viewing terrace. The site also has a refurbished full size grass pitch, a full size floodlit 3G artificial grass pitch and a multi-use games area, used for netball, tennis and other sports.

As the jewel in the crown of Harlesden's urban renewal programme, the Stonebridge Rec site is an example of how a sports centre can help to regenerate an entire community and the Foundation directs 40 per cent of its funding into the top 20 per cent most deprived communities.

Only last week, Stonebridge Primary School and Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Primary School were awarded free football strips and equipment through the Football Foundation's Junior Kit Scheme and they were trying them out for the first time at Wednesday's funding announcement.. They will also get to use the sports facilities at Stonebridge Rec for free every week.

Speaking about the funding commitment from The FA, Barwick said: "The FA's commitment to grassroots football could not have been more clearly emphasised than our £200m investment through the National Game Strategy launched in March.

"It represented the culmination of months of consultation and planning and sets clear, bold targets which we will be judged against.

"The Football Foundation's role in delivering this brighter future for our national sport is key. Better facilities will encourage more players and coaches to take up the game.

"However, superb facilities that lie dormant and unused are no good to anyone. The National Game Strategy relies on County FA's and other delivery bodies making best use of them. There are millions of adults and children wanting to get involved in the game, and it is up to everyone involved in the grassroots game to seize this momentum, and make a real difference."