16
WINCHESTER TODAY DECEMBER 2013
Sport
Peter Leamore is the Area Manager for DC Leisure, and says the group has a commitment to raising participation in sport: “These facilities have been required as a result of an increase in football provision locally. The facilities are of a fantastic standard and we hope to see both daytime and evening usage increase over the next year.”
Since our last issue, two new all-weather pitches have been opened in Whiteley, thanks in part to Winchester City Council and the Hampshire FA. More importantly, they seem to have had an immediate effect on the local young in the instant impact. Free community community. football, corporate matches and club football have all taking Th e p i t c h e s a r e a t place since they first started Meadowside Leisure Centre to be used. The pitches already and cost £80,000. They’ve operate at 70% capacity during been funded mostly by DC peak periods. Leisure, with Winchester City Council contributing £10,000 Coaching has been provided and Hampshire FA providing by the Saints Foundation which a football-foundation grant of has been working alongside £3,000 for new goals. local young people to develop their football skills and The facilities have had an Steve Brine is no stranger to Winchester Rugby Club although he has not yet been persuaded to pull on a shirt, shorts and boots. He regularly brought his daughter to ballet classes at the North Walls Park clubhouse and may well have noticed that the social and changing facilities were in need of a serious makeover.
technique.
Sport boss at Winchester City Council, Robert Humby, welcomed DC Leisure’s commitment: “These pitches will have a real impact on the community and help provide local people with more opportunity to become involved in sport.”
Many of the attendees are from Whiteley Wanderers FC, the local community charter standard club who have over 270 young people involved in their teams. The club will continue to use the facilities For more information on the which will provide them with project or to make a booking a home-base all year round, at Meadowside Leisure Centre helping solve travel problems please contact 01489 577464. for parents and players.
being made by the senior, junior and mini teams and was taken on a tour of the Club. He admitted to being ‘seriously impressed’ with the club and the plan in place to take it forward:
Move over my friend... Winchester City's Lerone Plummer helps lead the charge in City's 4-0 away win at Totton and Eling on Saturday 30 November 2013
“I think it’s important to remember that clubs such as this don’t have to exist,” said Steve Brine. “They do because of the hard work and leadership put in He visited the ground shortly by, mainly, volunteers. before Winchester’s home game against London Cornish to It was useful to hear of the view the recently refurbished club’s plans and the thriving minis accommodation and discuss the section which bodes well for the implications for the Club of the future.” proposed Riverside Leisure Centre development. Mark says he was pleased with the visit: “I was delighted to show Rugby Club chairman Mark Steve around our Club, especially Castle and Tom Shewry, who’s functioning on a match day. chairman of the mini’s section, explained how volunteers have “We also appreciated the carried out a major wash and opportunity to express our brush up programme. concern over the proposals for the Leisure Centre and the potential He also heard about the progress impact on the Club“.
project:Alfie150 is giving young people aged 16-25 free training in all aspects of media - radio, print and online. Register for a place now on our next training start date (Sunday 26 January 2014) on news@winchestertoday.co.uk
(L to R) Tom Shewry, Steve Brine MP, Mark Castle.
Want to be a sports journalist? Or any kind of journalist? If you're aged 16-25, make sure you learn from journalists who are at the top of their game in Winchester Today's FREE training day. Reserve a place NOW!