A Carlton Scroop company is offering a local group the chance to benefit from a new place for kids to play, professionally created and free of charge, where youngsters can be involved in sport or just play and have fun.
The offer comes from one of the country’s leading sports pitch construction companies Fineturf. The Space2Play scheme will deliver one lucky group or community organisation a first-class natural grass pitch for kids.
Fineturf director Simon Hutton, whose project is supported by the Lincolnshire Sports Partnership and SKDC, said: “The vision is to take an area of under-used or derelict land and transform it into a quality grass pitch, suitable for a variety of sports and play.”
Mr Hutton said: “We have all watched Children in Need over the years and now we want to do our bit, but in a way that gives us control to ensure that all our efforts are going locally to those we feel need it the most.
“The days are long gone when kids can safely play in the street and so many have nowhere to seriously get active or just have fun. We are looking for groups that can channel all that young energy into action, whether playing games or developing sports talent.
“A brand new multi-purpose play area will have a positive impact on families directly and the community as a whole.”
Fineturf has worked at the some of the largest and well-known sports stadiums across the country. Its staff are experts in pitch construction, and Fineturf is offering a start-to-finish programme utilising specialist knowledge to deliver a grassed facility which follows Sport England guidelines.
“We want to benefit youngsters between five and 12 years old. We suggest a minimum area of 1,500 square metres and maximum of an acre and, depending on applications, we might be able to create two smaller pitches instead of one larger one.
“There could be opportunities to involve local business, perhaps by providing play kit or goal posts. There may be companies with unused land which would be suitable, and it would be nice to think there are perhaps partnership opportunities, for instance involving a town or parish council working with local children’s groups.”
Fineturf will be handling the full project, ideally to be completed by September 2013.
Cllr John Smith, SKDC Cabinet member green, healthy and arts, said. “It’s a brilliant offer and fits perfectly with our objectives to both make the district clean, green and healthy and promote leisure and arts. It will make a life-changing difference to a lot of youngsters and will really help us to make play and sporting opportunities available to as many people in South Kesteven as possible.”
For more details and application forms go to www.fine-turf.co.uk/space2play