CROMWELL Athletic Junior Football Club’s under sevens team are celebrating after receiving a stylish new set of threads thanks to their local McDonald’s restaurant.

The restaurant on Bridge Street has donated kit to the team as part of the new McDonald’s FA Charter Standard Kit Scheme.

Cromwell Athletic JFC’s under sevens are one of the first teams to benefit from the new community programme which, run in partnership with The FA and its official kit supplier Nike, enables all 4,600 FA Charter Standard clubs with a junior team in England the chance to order a new strip every year for the next four seasons.

The scheme has the potential to provide 250,000 kits across the UK and 150,000 in England and aims to help raise the standards of grassroots football for young aspiring footballers.

To mark the occasion Cromwell Athletic JFC held an event at its ground, where local McDonald’s Business Manager John Smith, personally delivered the kit to the team.

Franchisee Dave Shaw, who owns six McDonald’s restaurants in Warrington said: “Grassroots football clubs such as Cromwell Athletic JFC are vital for communities, as they provide young people with the opportunity to get involved in football and feel part of a team.

"Clubs give up countless hours in order to provide high quality football opportunities to members of the local community.

"It’s important that businesses like McDonald’s support them and help to create the best possible experience for young aspiring footballers.”

Formed in 1996 the club was established to provide local children with access to football coaching within the Westbrook area of Warrington.

The club is involved in local league football and now plays in the Warrington Junior Football League. It provides football coaching for over 200 children in ten age groups from the under sevens to the under 17s.

Connal O’Brien from Cromwell Athletic JFC said: “We’re hugely grateful to McDonald’s for donating a new kit for our under sevens team.

"An average team strip costs around £500 per season, so this really is a huge saving for us and means we can spend the money on other areas of the club that need it.

"The kids are all really excited about wearing their new strip. It’s already helped to create a sense of unity and team spirit and I’m sure this will go a long way towards helping us to have a successful season.”

The FA’s Director of the National Game and Women’s Football Kelly Simmons said: “McDonald’s has been a long-term advocate of the grassroots game in England.

"The kit giveaway programme is yet another example of the wonderful work they are doing to support FA Charter Standard clubs.

“The opportunity to turn out in an impressive new Nike kit each season offers yet another incentive for children of all ages to participate in the National Game.”