'Substantial Progress' Made in Playing Fields Plans
Update from newly formed Roehampton Playing Fields Community Trust
Substantial progress has been made in developing new plans for Roehampton Playing Fields says Sarah Wilton, Chair of the Roehampton Playing Fields Community Trust.
In December 2017 Wandsworth Borough Council agreed to put on hold for at least nine months the grant of a lease of the 12 acre Roehampton Playing Fields site in order to give the local community time to develop its own proposals for running the playing fields. The Roehampton Playing Fields Community Trust has been formed to take up this challenge.
The Trust has been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic and positive support from the local West Putney and Roehampton communities, and the many users of the Playing Fields.
Working closely with key stakeholders the Trust has made very good progress towards securing community-led management of this valuable community sports and recreation resource and has already:
• Set up a website and a social media presence to enable our stakeholders and the wider community to keep track of progress and to let us know their views
• Registered the Trust as a company with the intention of applying for charitable status in due course
• Made rapid progress in producing a comprehensive business plan for managing and improving the site
• Launched a fundraising campaign to raise the considerable funds needed to transform the run-down facilities on the site
• Applied for funding from the Wandsworth Local Fund to carry out a set of appraisals needed to kick start the regeneration of the site
• Launched a survey of playing fields users to gauge their experience of using the playing fields and how they would like to see the facilities improved
• Sought advice from other successfully run sports trusts in South West London which provide inspirational models for the kind of community-led facility that the trust would like to create.
The Trust is particularly pleased that Justine Greening MP has accepted an invitation to chair a Stakeholder Board which will give a voice to all those with an interest in the playing fields including schools, sports clubs, residents and community groups, council representatives and other stakeholders so that all their interests are reflected in the plans for the new community-led management of the Playing Fields.
Sarah Wilton, Chair of the Trust, commented: "Our vision is to create a happier, healthier, more cohesive community in Roehampton by transforming and maintaining the existing playing fields and associated facilities in an affordable, accessible and attractive way. We aim to establish a vibrant, multi-sport community sports facility owned by Wandsworth Borough Council but managed and operated by the Roehampton Playing Fields Community Trust in a way that respects the special qualities of the local neighbourhood.
We know that we will only succeed by creating excellent working relationships with a wide range of local voluntary groups, schools, sports organisations and residents. I am delighted that Justine Greening will be helping us to achieve this by chairing the Stakeholder Board which will form an integral part of the Trust’s structure."
For suggestions, offers and further information contact Save.our.fields.17@gmail.com
March 9, 2018