Sports clubs have scored a goal for cash in the Tower Hamlets Mayor’s Cup annual football tournament awards which aim to get more youngsters in London’s deprived East End to take up physical activity.

East London Advertiser: Cllr Amina Ali with the winning grassroots clubs that scored cash from Tower Hamlets Council. Picture: LBTHCllr Amina Ali with the winning grassroots clubs that scored cash from Tower Hamlets Council. Picture: LBTH (Image: LBTH)

The council handed out £500 grants to 15 youth teams to support grassroots sport.

More than 1,000 youngsters in 70 teams took part in the Mayor’s Cup tournament in September, from which 15 clubs were invited to a town hall awards ceremony to pick up their grants from the council’s Brexit commissioner Amina Ali, the cabinet member for culture.

“Many clubs have very limited budgets,” Cllr Ali pointed out. “So the Mayor’s Cup tournament can help with grants to show a little appreciation for the services these clubs provide.”

The grants are to help the clubs widen their public reach to attract new players and encourage more youngsters to take up soccer, with the cup final of the 2019 tournament set for September 8 at Mile End Stadium.