Council supports Ormskirk school’s goal with new artificial football pitches
West Lancashire Borough Council has granted Ormskirk School £123,539 in funding to install a brand-new artificial football pitch.
This exciting project aimed at enhancing local sports facilities and opportunities has been made possible through two key Council and government-led funding sources: £101,921 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and £21,618 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
The new artificial football pitch is a vital asset for the school, community organisations and football teams across West Lancashire such as Ormskirk West End Football Club, JN Sports and TQ Sports all use the facilities to train junior teams throughout the week. It serves as a home ground for local football teams with a specific emphasis on promoting participation in organised football leagues.
The West Lancashire District U11s, U12s, and U13s Boys and Girls Teams train and play home fixtures at the facility. Burscough Junior Football League also utilises the pitch for central venue league fixtures.
Ormskirk School, a member of Endeavour Learning Trust, is dedicated to creating a vibrant and inclusive community lettings programme across the sites, which offers welcoming spaces for individuals, organisations and groups to participate, connect, learn and grow.
Dedicated to improving education and community resources, the school has contributed £130,000 in match funding to support this project.
Councillor Carl Coughlan, lead member for Leisure said: “We are thrilled to have secured the funding for this artificial football pitch, which will have a lasting positive impact on our local community.
“Sports are an essential part of physical and mental wellbeing and this new facility will give more people, especially young girls and women, the opportunity to participate in organised football.”
The installation of the artificial pitch will not only provide a reliable, year-round playing surface, but also a focal point for local teams seeking a professional-grade facility for training and matches.
The pitch is now complete and in use, with a celebratory launch event for the pitches being held on February 27.
Mark Forster, Director of Community & Partnerships at Endeavour Learning Trust, said: “Endeavour Learning Trust is delighted to deliver on the installation of state-of-the-art football pitches at Ormskirk School. We know this will be a major addition to the Ormskirk community and will support our own efforts to improve the wider health and well-being of children and young people.
“Our partnership with the members and officers of West Lancashire Borough Council has been extremely positive and we are grateful for the financial support received from UKSPF and the Community Infrastructure Levy to get this project over the line.”
A total of 25 community projects will receive funding to empower our communities, supporting the Council’s key priorities and delivering services and facilities for residents across West Lancashire. The funding comes from the Council’s £1.2million Communities and Place investment and £1.3m from the Community Infrastructure Levy. When combined, this represents among the largest ever investments in community projects in West Lancashire by the Council.
For more information about Ormskirk School visit https://ormskirk.lancs.sch.uk/
