EDWARD GARNIER MP PRESENTS GUTHLAXTON COLLEGE WITH £600K FROM FOOTBALL FOUNDATION
Grass roots sport in Wigston received a boost today following a £600,000 award to Guthlaxton College by the Football Foundation, the UK's largest sports charity
Local MP Edward Garnier and a representative from the Leicester FA will present a cheque to the college at 2.30pm on Friday 29 June at Guthlaxton College, Station Road, Wigston, Leicester, LE18 2DS.
The funding will enable the College to completely replace its all-weather pitch and build new changing facilities which will benefit both daytime students and the local community during evenings and weekends.
The project consists of the extension of the existing Sports Hall building to form new changing provision for the adjacent artificial and natural grass pitches. The scheme will provide four new changing rooms with associated shower and toilet facilities, two official’s rooms with toilet and shower, an office for the PE staff, community reception, as well as male, female and disabled toilets. This will be in addition to the two existing indoor changing rooms.
The second phase of the project is the complete replacement of an existing sand filled synthetic pitch and shockpad with a new third generation sand and rubber filled surface suitable for both Football and Hockey use. The redeveloped facility will enable 16% more male users and 25% more female users to play regular sport.
The Football Foundation is dedicated to revitalising the grass roots of the game, constructing modern football facilities, developing football as a force for social cohesion and as a vehicle for education in communities throughout the country. Funded by the Premier League, the Football Association, Sport England and the Government, the Football Foundation is the nation's largest sports charity with a £45m budget going straight into the heart of football.
Edward Garnier, MP for Harborough, Oadby & Wigston, said:
“I am delighted to be able to present this cheque to Guthlaxton. The money represents not just the chance to revitalise the College’s sporting facilities in a direct and meaningful way thanks to the generosity of the Football Foundation and all those bodies that support it, but it also provides a real boost to the College, its present and future students and this part of my constituency. The improvements that will follow on receipt of this money will benefit both students at Guthlaxton and those who live locally.
“It is a cliché, but true, to say that sporting activity complements academic activity and the improvements that this money will bring can only enable both sides of the College’s curriculum to improve yet further. I want to place my gratitude to the Football Foundation firmly on the record.”
Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation said:
“We warmly congratulate Guthlaxton College and the Leicester FA for their hard work and dedication in securing this award.
“Sport is playing a central role in helping people to stay fit, strengthen communities and promote responsibility amongst young people. I am delighted that Football Foundation investment is opening up access to sport in the Wigston area and encourage other organisations in the region to apply to us.”
Michael Fields, Principal of Guthlaxton College, said:
“We are delighted to secure this generous grant from the Football Foundation as our current facilities require much needed modernisation and can no longer provide the quality of provision that our community deserves.
“Guthlaxton's facilities serve many local sporting clubs and organisations involving both young children and adults in a variety of sporting activities. Guthlaxton is already a centre of excellence in the Arts. As a result of this initiative, we will now be able to develop our good general provision so that we will also be a centre of excellence in Sports, to the benefit of the school and community users.”
