Glen Eira pavilion makeover to give community sport a boost

A $4 million investment package by the Victorian Government is set to transform three parks within the City of Glen Eira.

A $4 million investment package by the Victorian Government is set to transform three parks within the City of Glen Eira, building ageing pavilions into bigger and more modern female and family friendly community venues.

Two soccer clubs will be able to directly benefit from these upgrades – Glen Eira FC and Caulfield Cougars SC. A new pavilion will be built at Koornang Park with the adjacent Lord Reserve pavilion to get an upgrade featuring new female friendly change rooms for resident clubs, which will be shared amongst other resident clubs such as Carnegie Cricket Club and Monash Gryphons.

The third venue within the City of Glen Eira to benefit from the $4 million investment is Murrumbeena Park. It is home to the Murrumbeena Lions Football Netball Club, Murrumbeena Junior Football Club, Murrumbeena Cricket Club, Murrumbeena Bowls Club and Oakdale Angling Club, adding substantial positive changes for a variety of sports.

Across all pavilions, the project will also aim to deliver a community hub, including three meeting & multi-purpose rooms, a 140-seat function room with kitchen, fully accessible public amenities, a facelift & extension of club changeroom facilities, social space and a new car park.

The entire project is forecasted to be complete by mid-2022, enabling the opportunity for around 60 people to be employed – including trades, contractors and consultants, putting the best foot forward to meet the project deadline.

In an effort to increase overall participation at local grassroot clubs, especially for those to benefit from the Victorian Government’s upgrade investments, the State Government have designed a voucher program for eligible children to access in order to cover associated costs.

The Get Active Kids Voucher Program is a Victorian first and will be rolling out 100,000 sport vouchers across the state. This is to encourage families to have their children involved in organised sport and recreation activities, by reimbursing the cost of membership and registration fees, uniforms and equipment that would need to be covered on a yearly basis.

Those that are eligible may be able to receive of up to $200 of funds – applications can be found here.

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UEFA and Unilever renew partnership

UEFA has embraced Unilever as an Official Global Partner of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, kicking off in Switzerland on July 2 until July 27, 2025.

Unilever’s deal with UEFA builds off of their 2024 partnership and will see a wide array of Unilever’s Foods and Personal Care brands ignite their own integrated advertising campaigns to connect with fans and consumers in and out of the stadium, including household names like Dove, Rexona, Knorr and Hellmann’s.

UEFA marketing director, Guy-Laurent Epstein expressed UEFA’s excitement to work with Unilever again.

“Building on the success of our collaboration last summer, we are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Unilever for UEFA Women’s EURO 2025,” he said in a press release.

The support and interest in women’s football is on a sharp upward trajectory, and with Unilever’s portfolio of Food and Personal Care brands reaching billions of people every day, we look forward to celebrating the power of the game and bringing excitement to fans everywhere.”

General Manager of Unilever Foods Europe, Robbert de Vreede conveyed his enthusiasm for Unilever’s involvement in the upcoming Women’s EURO 2025.

“We are thrilled to partner with the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, enabling our Foods brands to connect with a large audience who come together enjoying the thrill of a football match with friends whilst sharing delicious foods,” he said in a UEFA press release.

“Just as a great BBQ brings people closer, football unites fans in a shared experience of passion and camaraderie. In this partnership we will create memorable moments that highlight the best of summer – good food, great company, and beautiful games.”

General Manager of Unilever Personal Care Europe, Fulvio Guarneri detailed why the collaboration between UEFA and Unilever was a perfect fit.

“This is an exciting opportunity for some of our biggest brands to tap into a big cultural moment and connect with millions of consumers who will be watching the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025,” he said via press release.

“It’s a great time for women’s football and this partnership fits perfectly with our Personal Care products which are all about feeling clean and confident, and taking part in sports. Together with our retail partners, we look forward to building on the success of last year’s men’s tournament, delivering unmissable campaigns across a variety of channels that celebrate the power of women’s football.”

Unilever joins an exciting list of brands for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tournament, including household names such as adidas, Amazon, AXA, Booking.com, EA, Euronics, Grifols, Heineken, Hublot, Just Eat Takeaway.com, Lay’s, Lidl, PlayStation and Visa.

The Club Development Conference highlights community football

Significant Sporting Events Program 2023-24

On Saturday, February 1st, over 200 attendees came together at Valentine Sports Park for the 2025 Football NSW Club Development Conference.

With registrations for the 2025 season still coming in, over 85 Football NSW clubs from both Sydney Metropolitan and regional areas gathered for a dynamic day of workshops, panels, and special guest speakers, celebrating community football.

Presented by Stephanie Brantz, the Conference included keynote addresses from Karen Jones, Acting CEO of Destination NSW and Chief Executive of the NSW Office of Sport, Dr. Catriona Rose of the Australian Sports Commission, and Matildas cap #167, Ellie Brush.

After the successful second edition of the conference, Trevor Huxley, Football NSW’s Program Manager for Club Development, expressed his excitement over the strong support from the community.

“The Club Development Conference is a fantastic opportunity to bring together all levels of the game to learn from one another, network and discuss best practice for grassroots football,” said Huxley via press release.

“It has been inspiring to see grassroots clubs across the state in attendance, illustrating a remarkable commitment to supporting their local communities. It’s vital that Football NSW continues to lead in this space, providing support to the volunteers and local administrators who are central to the ongoing growth of our game.”

Along with the keynote speakers, attendees were able to choose sessions tailored to their Club or role, covering topics such as safeguarding, volunteerism, marketing and data analysis, infrastructure and grant funding, player and spectator behaviour, women & girls’ football, diversity and inclusion, and grassroots coach education.

The Football NSW Club Development Conference serves as a pivotal platform for enhancing community football by Empowering Clubs, Facilitating Networking, Offering Targeted Education and Showcasing Leadership.

By focusing on these areas, the conference plays a crucial role in strengthening community football, promoting inclusivity, and ensuring the sport’s sustainable growth.

To gain further details and access Club resources, click here.

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