Club looks at spaces for sport as it aims to boost county’s health
NOTTINGHAM Forest will be carrying out an “audit” of green spaces across Nottinghamshire to see where new sports facilities could be built as the club aims to boost the county’s health.
Hosting an Olympic-style event in Nottinghamshire and bringing all the county’s professional and semiprofessional clubs together for the first time are also among Forest’s plans to boost access to sport.
Tom Cartledge, Nottingham Forest’s chairman, made the announcement at a press conference yesterday attended by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – the first time a serving PM has visited the club in its history. The chairman said he wanted to ensure everyone in Nottinghamshire takes part in an hour of exercise a week.
To make that happen, the club will be conducting a full “audit” of green space in the county alongside the relevant councils to see where new sporting facilities could be built. Mr Cartledge also expressed a wish to hold a ‘Nottinghamshire Games’ in 2027 and club owner Evangelos Marinakis pledged that he is “committed” to invest whatever it takes to make the new sporting initiatives a success, alongside club sponsor E.ON Energy.
Speaking about the Nottinghamshire Games plan in particular, Mr Cartledge said: “The icing on the cake would be that exciting moment. Imagine every village in Nottinghamshire and every city and part of the county exercising and having fun at facilities at a weekend? We’re going to determine a date, let’s say May 2027, or some time around there. We’ll judge our success by seeing the smiling faces
of kids playing sport on playing fields they didn’t even know existed two or three years before.”
The press conference was held following weeks of reporting that Nottingham Forest could be forced to relocate from their historic City Ground home amid stalled lease talks with Nottingham City Council. The council says it is trying to ensure best value for taxpayers as it seeks to increase Forest’s rent from £250,000 a year to £1 million.
Mr Cartledge acknowledged the “challenge” Forest are currently having with the city council, with the authority having now employed specialist agents to advise on the matter. It means doubt has also been cast on Forest’s broader plans to expand the City Ground, first revealed in 2019.
Speaking about the dispute with the city council during the press conference, Mr Cartledge said: “I’m not going to talk necessarily about our challenges with the city council, but perhaps where the city council challenges, the county council... have come to our saviour.”
Making a short speech during the press conference, Rishi Sunak said: “Thanks for everything that you’re all doing at an uncertain time for Nottingham because of the city council’s financial mismanagement... Do not underestimate the incredible impact you have on the people who come here and support your club.”
Others attending yesterday’s press conference included Sir John Peace and his successor as Nottinghamshire’s Lord-lieutenant, Veronica Pickering. MPS Ben Bradley, Ruth Edwards and Mark Spencer also attended, as well as Nottingham University Hospitals chief executive Anthony May. Rishi Sunak later had a kickabout on the City Ground pitch with Forest’s first team players and Year 4 pupils from Carnarvon Primary School in Bingham. ■■PM ‘sympathetic’ to attacks victims’ families – Page 4