Barnet’s largest grassroots football club, Whetstone Wanderers FC is celebrating 30 years of providing football in the community by calling on residents for their help in raising much-needed funds.

The money raised will go towards a brand new, flood lit all-weather pitch planned for 2022 at the club’s home in Southover – Woodside Park Club.

The club's home does not have an all-weather surface, with training and matches over the winter months held hostage to cancellations due to poor weather.

Like many grassroots community football clubs across the country, the last year has been incredibly difficult with Covid-19 preventing the club from staging its annual fundraising Summer 6's tournament.

Founded in 1991, the club has grown to become the largest grassroots community club in the borough of Barnet, serving the community and its surrounding areas with over 600 boys and girls across 40+ teams.

Chairman Alan Kelsey said: “We’re proud to be celebrating 30 years of providing football in the community. The club is a place where kids and adults can make memories and achieve successes; where leadership, winning and losing are all learnt in a safe, happy environment.

“It’s no secret the pandemic has had a huge impact on our physical and mental health, not to mention restricting access to hubs and clubs such as ours, and our ability to invest in facilities. With the help and support of the community, money raised will go towards ensuring we continue to play an important role in providing football for young people, and a thriving place for the community to come together.”

Club graduates include Nick Tsaroulla, scorer for Crawley in the FA cup defeat of Leeds Utd, Charlie Ruff, who scored in last seasons final of the FA Trophy, and Marcus Edwards, formally of Tottenham Hotspur and now with Portuguese club Vitoria.