The fledgling Bury Saints American Football Club have been given a huge boost with a grant from Sport England just shy of £10,000.

With the funds now in place, the Saints can look to finally buy the kit all players need to play as well as relevant training equipment needed to fulfil the team’s potential.

Team manager Neil Van Holland said: “A goal of this team is to really become a hub of the community and with the recent addition of a cheerleading squad things are really starting to shape up.

“In the long term we want to develop youth initiatives and get as many people involved as possible. With so many roles needed doing the Saints are going to be a true family club where people of all ages can get involved on many different levels. This grant is another step forward in realising our dreams”.

It has already been a hectic offseason for the Saints as they prepare themselves for what they’re hoping their first competitive league season next year, but with the search for a permanent home venue, rugby posts and team sponsors still all to find, there is still a lot of work to do.

After a successful ‘taster session’ in Thetford last month, the Saints are holding another one this Sunday (November 10) in Bury St Edmunds as the club look to increase its growing popularity further.

Starting at 11am at Moreton Hall Prep School, Mount Road, and finishing at 2pm, anyone interested in joining the club as a player, coach, or even spectator is invited to come along and meet the team.

Saints head coach, Chris Wallis said: “The aim of the session is to give rookies an opportunity to try the sport for the first time and for experienced players to see what we have to offer.”

And as well as their hometown, the Saints are looking to spread themselves further afield as further taster sessions in Stowmarket, Newmarket and Haverhill are set to follow through November and early December.

Indeed, the following Sunday (November 17), another practice session is booked in on the football/playing fields behind Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre, Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket, again starting at 11am and ending at 2pm.

For further information and pre-registration, please contact the team via their Facebook page (search for Bury Saints American Football Team), phone 07527958511 or email BurySEGridiron@aol.co.uk.