Chelsea stars unveil £600,000 space for sports

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Local sports centre gets substantial cash injection

Chelsea FC star players John Terry and Shaun Wright-Phillips visited the Linford Christie Outdoor Sports Centre at Wormwood Scrubs last week to officially open the redeveloped 'flagship' sports site on behalf of Barclays Spaces for Sports.

Following a £600,000 cash injection from Barclays and the Football Foundation, derelict areas within the stadium complex have now been transformed into a full size multi-sports pitch and warm-up area. The new facilities will ensure a range of activities, including football, rugby and hockey, can now be offered to the local community.

Local children from Langford, Kenmont, and Old Oak Schools were joined by Chelsea players John Terry and Shaun Wright-Phillips and England rugby World Cup hero Will Greenwood MBE to take part in coaching sessions in football and rugby to mark the opening of the site for public use.

Part of a £30m investment from the Barclays Spaces for Sports initiative, which creates sustainable sports facilities across the UK, the project will receive a further £45,000 from Barclays to ensure the sustainability of the site plus kit and equipment worth £5,000.

With the backing from Hammersmith and Fulham Council and the Barclays Premiership champions Chelsea FC, the new site will reach over 165,000 people in the surrounding area.

Barclays Group Sponsorship Director, Nic Gault, commented "Barclays believe that sport has a key role to play in revitalising our communities, and sites like the Linford Christie Outdoor Sports Centre are central to this. We hope that the new site will make sport more accessible and encourage a new wave of participants to enjoy the facilities on offer."

Dave Richards, Chairman of the Football Foundation and FA Premier League, added his support saying "It is essential for the future of sport and the health of our nation that all communities have access to this kind of modern grass roots facilities. The revitalised Linford Christie Outdoor Sports Centre will offer a host of new sporting opportunities for communities in and around White City, regardless of age, ability or gender."

Peter Kenyon, Chief Executive of Chelsea Football Club said "The Linford Christie Outdoor Sports Centre project is a great example of how clubs like Chelsea, sponsors, football bodies and the local council can come together as partners to benefit the community. Chelsea is totally committed to promoting sport and fitness and this new pitch will provide a much needed multi-sports facility for the area."

Cllr Stephen Burke, leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, was among the guests at the launch.  He said "The new full-size pitch, five-a-side pitches and athletics facilities at the Linford Christie Outdoor Sports Centre will give a major boost to sport in west London, promoting local sporting talent for the 2012 Olympics and beyond. The council's sports development team will be working with coaches from Chelsea and QPR football clubs to ensure young people get the most out of these new sports pitches. The whole community will benefit from these fantastic new facilities."

February 13, 2006