The University of Leeds has opened a community football hub, at Sports Park Bodington, helping boost grassroots sports in the area.
It was announced on October 27, the hub, located at Sports Park Bodington – part of the University of Leeds – was built in partnership with the Football Foundation and includes three full-size, artificial 3G floodlit football pitches, car parking and a pavilion with changing facilities and a café.
University of Leeds Football Hub
The new football hub at Leeds uni has been made possible thanks to a £4.3m grant from the Football Foundation which is a charity supported by the Premier League, the Football Association and the Government.
Suzanne Glavin, Head of Sport & Physical Activity at the University said: ‘The University is proud to be opening a new facility to support our students and the local community. The pitches have nine, six and five-aside facilities to encourage as many people as possible to take part, particularly children.
‘We’re very grateful to the Football Foundation for helping to make this happen and looking forward to working with our partners to develop new ways to support the community.’
‘Result of partnership’
The hub is the result of a partnership working between the University, the Football Foundation, West Riding County FA, and Leeds City Council, the hub progresses the development of four sites in Leeds that together will provide 13 new full-size pitches, responding to the need for sporting facilities in and around the city.
Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, added: ‘This is a brilliant example of how investment from our partners, the Premier League, The FA, Government and Sport England improves grassroots facilities across the country.’
Over 60 children from Horsforth St. Margaret’s Junior Football Club in Leeds will play at the Hub as part of the launch celebrations. The site will be home to seven junior partner clubs and six senior clubs who will use the site for training and match play.
The University already partners extensively with community clubs and schools through its volunteering programme, which sees students coaching and officiating locally.