WIREDGOV

Playing fields across the country continue to be protected and improved thanks to nearly £3.7 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Protecting Playing Fields fund. 

In the latest round of funding, 63 projects will receive funding of up to £100,000 to bring disused playing fields back into use, improve existing sites and create new sports pitches.

Since its launch in 2011, 399 projects have benefited from a total of £22 million of investment over six rounds, with more than 1,000 pitches protected and improved.

Sport England Property Director, Charles Johnston, said: “The latest round of our Protecting Playing Fields fund continues to make a real difference to community sports clubs up and down the country by supporting one of the most important resources in sport. By protecting and improving playing fields in communities across the country, we’re ensuring people and teams have a place to get active and enjoy sport all year round.”

Among the projects receiving funding is Handsworth Junior Sporting Club in Sheffield who has been awarded £65,000 to improve the drainage system on their pitches that currently cannot cope when there is heavy rain. This year the club lost 60 football matches across all age groups due to water-logged pitches cause by the bad weather. With better drainage the club estimates 40 games would have gone ahead. The funding will allow the club to install better drainage leading to less games being cancelled and allow them to grow the number of people playing football and cricket at the club.

Other projects to receive funding include:

• United Church Schools Foundation Limited in Hull has been awarded £60,000 to transform recently acquired farmland into two new junior pitches. The school has well established community use and has identified the need for additional grass pitches through consultation with the East Riding Council, sport governing bodies and local sports clubs. The new pitches will support the development of local sports clubs in three sports – rounders, rugby and football - by providing access to pitches and establishing formal school clubs links with local clubs.

• Houghton Field Association in Leicester has been awarded £65,000 to improve the failing drainage at Houghton on the Hill playing fields. Poor drainage has resulted in in the club losing 20 weekends in the past two years. Home of the Houghton Rangers, the club has successful and popular junior and senior teams. Football has been a central part of village life for over 50 years and the improvement works at the club will ensure football will continue to be played for many more years to come.

Minister for Sport, Helen Grant, said: “This £3.7 million lottery funding is helping to protect and improve playing fields across the country, giving a better sports experience to thousands. Combined with our on-going work to put down more 3G pitches this will also mean sports fixtures become less victims of the weather and enable play all-year-round.”

Protecting Playing Fields enhances the role Sport England already plays in safeguarding playing fields. The future of all sites funded through this programme will be secured for a minimum of 25 years.

The funding for playing fields improvements is also in addition to our special £5 million flood relief fund that is helping restore pitches and repair sports facilities damaged by the exceptional weather earlier in the year. The fund was specifically created to help with the damage caused by the floods and storms over winter.