The Football League has formed a new body called 'The Football League Trust' to manage community and youth development activities at Football League clubs - funded by the Premier League's 'solidarity payments'.

The Football League Trust will manage funding to both areas, including the annual contributions of £5.4m and £4m from the Premier League towards clubs' youth development and community programmes, respectively.

Under the new system, clubs will be able to apply to The Football League Trust for additional grant funding to initiate new community activities.

"Not only will this provide more funding than clubs have had in the past," said Football League Chairman Lord Mawhinney. "It will also provide them with more support from the centre than they have experienced previously."

Football League clubs perform a unique and vital role in their local areas by providing a focal point for social and sporting activities, as well as contributing to the improvement of local amenities.

The Trust, headed by general manager Dave Edmundson, the former Burnley FC chief executive, is now working with the clubs to help further develop relationships with their local communities.

The scope of the Trust's work includes health and education, and increases sports participation levels and social inclusion. It is also responsible for deciding on funding awards for clubs' Community and Youth Development projects.

A major change has resulted with individual clubs now taking on full responsibility for their own Football in the Community Scheme which is no longer centrally funded. 

Chesterfield FC in the Community is now up and running and has retained the services of popular Andy Morris to continue to provide coaching support for local schools.

A range of other initiatives are also now being developed to support the local community in the Chesterfield area, watch out for more details coming soon.