Nationwide F.A. Charter Standard Award.
Cottage Farm Rangers have been awarded the F.A.'s top club award at a Presentation Evening at Birmingham County Headquarters last Wednesday (3rd October 2001). The "Charter Standard Development Club" award is only given to those clubs who can demonstrate that they have a safe club for children, a friendly environment and that all coaches have the F.A. minimum standard qualification.
Cottage Farm are the first club in Tamworth to receive this award, and are one of only five clubs in the whole of the Birmingham County F.A. area.
Club Chairman Roger White, who accepted the award from Les Howie, the National Football Development Manager, said, "As with any award, it takes a tremendous amount of effort to achieve. Club Secretary Bob Bynt and I are over the moon. This is a fabulous vote of thanks for all the hard work put in by all members of Cottage Farm, the Committee, Coaches, Parents and Players alike".
The club now runs 13 teams, locally and in the Staffordshire and Warwickshire Leagues, and is growing all the time. Local girls are also proving that they can play football, with teams at U12, U14 and U16.
Tom Stack, Birmingham's Director for Football Development, together with Caroline Rees, Sponsorship Manager for the Nationwide Building Society said, "Cottage Farm Rangers should be proud of this award, theirs was one of the highest quality applications received, everyone at the club should be proud. Clubs like Cottage Farm are setting the standard that all the other clubs will have to follow. Within the next 2 to 3 years, this standard will be a requirement for all the clubs to attain".
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The F.A. Charter Standard Clubs programme
The F.A. Charter Standard Clubs programme, supported by England Team Sponsor Nationwide, was launched in February 2001 with the aim of setting standards of coaching, administration and child protection for clubs working with young people.
The programme is aimed at boys and girls under sixteen years old and will help children and parents find a club in their local area that meets F.A. standards.
The project is at the heart of The Football Association’s investment programme for grassroots football that will see £32 million spent this year to improve facilities and coaching across the country.
Forty clubs from Lancashire, North Riding, Nottinghamshire, Kent, London and Dorset worked with The F.A. in a pilot project over the last year.
F.A. Chief Executive Adam Crozier explained the importance of Charter Standard:
"The F.A. is committed to raising the standard of grassroots football in England to encourage more people to play, to develop their skills and to enjoy the game in the right environment.
"Clubs who become Charter Standard will be taking part in a genuine grassroots revolution. Every club should be aiming to meet the Charter Standard."
"I’m delighted that Nationwide are supporting this project because, like The F.A., they support the game at all levels."
Helping to launch the scheme were West Ham manager Harry Redknapp and his son – the Liverpool and England midfielder Jamie Redknapp. 
Harry explained why he was backing the project:
"I knew where to send my kids to get a proper football education but most mums and dads aren’t so lucky.
"That’s why The F.A. Charter Standard for clubs is such a good idea. For the first time, parents will know the best clubs in their local area to coach their children."
England Women’s International footballer, Mo Marley, 
was also at the launch and was delighted that Charter Standard will give equal priority to women’s football:
"This project will increase the opportunities for girls to play football and will help the development of women’s football as a sport in this country."
To read more information about the F.A. Charter Standard, use this link. FA Charter Standard
To access the Birmingham County F.A. Press Release, use this link . . . . BCFA press
To read our Secretary's response, use this link . . . .Secretary's letter