Footballers at the Island’s eastern end have now got their own changing rooms thanks to almost £50,000 of funding.

Eastern Athletic FC has had the facility built on the side of Warden Bay village hall, which is where they play their matches.

The team, which is in division two of the Dore Metals Sheppey Sunday League, has been going for around four years and based at the Warden Bay Road site for one.

There is also a boxing club based at the village hall as well as other groups so the new building, which includes showers and toilets, will be well used.

They were officially opened by the Mayor of Swale Cllr Sue Gent on Saturday, August 24, when there was also a boxing exhibition, bouncy castle, raffle and tombola.

A football match took place between Eastern Athletic and the Heights of Alma, which finished at a 2-2 draw.

Money for the work came from the Kent-based Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust which gave £20,000; the Warden Bay village hall committee which gave £10,000 and the precept paid by residents of which £19,750 was allocated by Warden Bay Parish Council.

Secretary Steve Starling said it will be a huge help to the club as it had been incurring fees from having to hire out other changing rooms.

They also hope to launch a youth team in the near future.

“It’s fantastic,” he said.

“Everybody who has seen them thinks they look brilliant.

“I would like to thank all the groups which gave us grants and a big thank you to [Warden councillor] Pat Sandle because she did a lot of the work getting the grant.”