Sporting chance to help keep the kids off the streets
POLICE CHIEF
AND FOOTBALL HERO TEAM UP TO LAUNCH £100K PROJECT
LEICESTER City football hero Steve Walsh has teamed up with Police and Crime Commissioner Lord (Willy) Bach to launch a new £100,000 funding boost to transform the city’s sports parks.
The money means extra cash for Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs) in Leicester.
The project will deliver additional community sports facilities, along with wrap-around support including coaching and fitness advice, in several locations across the city.
Walsh is an ambassador for Leicester City in the Community, the charitable arm of Leicester City FC, which is backing the project.
The former City skipper joined Lord Bach and his deputy, Councillor Kirk Master, at the existing MUGA in Spinney Hill Park on Thursday for the launch.
Lord Bach has allocated £100,000 to a collaborative project involving Leicester City Council, The Football Foundation and The Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Foundation.
He said: “MUGA courts like the one here in Spinney Hill Park help to create a sense of belonging, reduce vandalism, and develops other positive behaviours.
“Crime prevention is not the primary objective of sport and physical activity, but it can be an extremely positive byproduct.
“There is strong evidence to suggest that decent sports facilities in the local community can help to steer young people away from trouble.
“I’ve been totally committed to supporting the development of community facilities like this throughout my term of office and I’m delighted to put the funding in place to help the city council deliver further courts in Leicester.”
Walsh said: “Pitches like this are a great idea – sadly, the MUGA was closed because of Covid restrictions, so I was unable to put Willy and Kirk through their paces, but they bring kids together and give them a way of staying fit and active. And with bit of luck, it keeps them out of mischief too.”
Councillor Master, who is also the deputy mayor for neighbourhoods, said: “This is fantastic news, both in terms of improving games areas in our parks and ensuring that the right facilities are accessible to city youngsters.
“We know that being engaged in meaningful sports and other recreation can help steer young people away from crime and anti-social behaviour, so the benefit of this investment should be felt across the wider community.”
The deputy mayor responsible for culture, leisure and sport, Councillor Piara Singh Clair, said: “We welcome this investment to help provide better sports facilities in a number of city communities, and to create new opportunities for local young people to get involved in physical activity.”
The funding allocation by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner includes £50,000 in the current financial year and £50,000 across two subsequent years.
A further £58,000 has been secured from the Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Foundation’s 2020 Gift of a Wish programme.
The specific locations of the new courts are subject to planning permission and will be announced by the city council in the coming months.
The MUGA court at Spinney Hill Park will reopen in the summer dependent on the lifting of Covid restrictions.