30 March, 2004

At the next Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 7 April, St Edmundsbury Borough councillors will discuss potential funding towards new community use facilities at SamuelWardUpperSchool in Haverhill.

Plans to contribute £50,000 towards the funding of the new leisure facilities at Samuel Ward supports St Edmundsbury’s core objective to provide recreational facilities and activities for children and young people. It would also form part of St Edmundsbury’s Football Strategy, to support football in the borough including improvements to changing facilities.

These facilities would be available for use by pupils, staff and members of the community such as youth teams. Samuel Ward is bidding to the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) and Football Foundation for additional funding towards the project. The school has already self-funded £80,000 towards the new facilities.

The new facilities will include a floodlit artificial surface Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA), providing an all weather facility primarily for football and hockey. This will be available for use by members of the community in periods out of school time. Samuel Ward is also seeking to make improvements to the changing rooms to enhance the standard of facilities provided to the school and community.

Cllr Terry Clements, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Sport said:

“I am delighted that St Edmundsbury has the opportunity to contribute such an exciting project. St Edmundsbury is very keen to work in partnership with SamuelWardUpperSchool to provide young people across the borough with the sporting facilities and activities that they are looking for.”

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