Twelve projects are set to improve the quality and experience of sport in their local area thanks to £4.3 million of National Lottery investment from Sport England’s Improvement Fund.
The latest round of funding focuses mainly on improving artificial grass pitches (AGPs) – used for a wide range of sports including hockey, football and rugby. Ten of the twelve projects will either build new, or replace existing, AGPs, improving the quality of the playing surfaces. The other projects include building a new boathouse and gymnastics centre.
Sport England Property Director, Charles Johnston, said: “Sports facilities are a vital part of grassroots sport and we know people have a better experience of sport when they can play in good quality facilities. The investment being made through our Improvement Fund will make a big difference to community sport and will ensure people and teams have a place to get active and enjoy sport all year round.”
Successful bidders to the Improvement Fund include Hadley Woods Sports Trust, which has been awarded £200,000 to build a new floodlit 3G AGP and changing rooms at Old Stationers Recreation Ground in Barnet. The new AGP will complement a new grass pitch currently being developed, and will complete the transformation of the ground from a derelict site into a vibrant centre for grassroots sport in the heart of Barnet.
Cara Demetriades, Project Manager on behalf of Hadley Woods Sports Trust, said: “The funding from Sport England's Improvement Fund will have a big impact on community sport in Barnet and will enable the charitable trust to provide an excellent new community facility giving local children and young adults in particular opportunities to participate in grassroots sport.”
Other projects to receive awards of between £150,000 and £500,000 include:
Lakes College in West Cumbria, which has been awarded £500,000 to build a new, full size floodlit APG. Due to the weather in Cumbria, the existing grass pitch is unusable at certain points of the year. The AGP will allow for sport, including rugby union and football, to take place all year round.
Anfield Sport and Community Centre, in partnership with Liverpool FC and its charity, has been awarded £300,000 to build a new, full size floodlit 3G pitch refurbish its existing community centre. The existing facility has limited capacity to meet the growing needs of the sports at the site including football.
Rugby Gymnastics Club has been awarded £500,000 to build a new gymnastics centre in the town. The existing facilities are currently inadequate and don’t meet the needs of the growing number of people wanting to take part in the sport. The new facility will enable the club to develop a centre of excellence for gymnastics – both for coaching and training.
Through the Improvement Fund, Sport England will invest £45 million of Lottery funding into medium-size projects to improve grassroots sports facilities that are sustainable and with a clear local need. So far, £37.8m has been invested to overhaul 38 artificial grass pitches and swimming pool changing rooms, and help 28 sports facilities become more environmentally sustainable. It has also supported 39 projects that are impacting on the number of 14- to 25-year-olds taking part in sport by meeting their changing demands whilst delivering an improved sporting experience.
James Allen, Head of Policy at the Sport and Recreation Alliance added, “Investment in grassroots sport is vital in enabling the nation to enjoy their sport and recreation and stay fit and healthy. Grassroots sport is also where the majority of future elite stars, begin their fledgling passions. To support Sport England’s investment, we are calling on the ministers who will form the future government to back our five-step plan to raise the heartbeat of the nation and support sport and recreation from the grassroots up.”
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