Playing fields secure Olympic funding

The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the £135million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to communities across the country.

The grant will be in addition to a £150,000 investment from Ealing Council and will go towards upgrading the existing playing fields and rebuilding a sports pavilion which was damaged by fire last year. 

The pavilion will include a community hall, boxing gym, changing rooms and toilets, and will provide a base for the Larkspur Rovers Football Club and the Northolt Amateur Boxing Club. Both clubs have helped to develop great talent over the years, including Audley Harrison, who was the first British boxer to win gold in the superheavyweight division at the 2000 Olympic Games.

Leader of the council, Councillor Julian Bell, said: “We are delighted to secure this investment, which will help us to develop Lord Halsbury Memorial Playing Fields into a first class sporting hub for residents. There will be new furniture and equipment, improvements to the quality of the existing football pitches and a new artificial grass pitch.

“We are also eagerly awaiting decisions on other funding applications to help us make the most of this fantastic sporting site.”

Sport England’s chair, Richard Lewis, said: “This National Lottery investment will contribute towards creating a lasting sporting legacy for Northolt. This fund has really hit the mark with sports clubs in Ealing. It shows we’re offering the legacy that people want for their local community. For hundred of clubs and tens of thousands of people, 2012 will be the year their local sport facilities got better.”

Due for completion by the end of the year, the pavilion will also benefit from a £150,000 investment from Ealing Council.