A £1.45m grant has been awarded to improve community health and leisure facilities in South London.
Amateur football club, Tooting & Mitcham United FC (T&MFC), has secured the grant to add health and fitness facilities to its new Imperial Fields Stadium in Morden.
Sport England and the Big Lottery Fund jointly awarded the grant money as part of their joint Active England programme.
Matthew Delaney, regional director for Sport England London, said: “Tooting & Mitcham’s proposal was particularly suited to receive Active England funding as it showed commitment to creating and supporting a sustainable, multi-activity environment within an area of social, sport and health deprivation.”
The redevelopment of Imperial Fields has the support of the local council, businesses, community organisations and local sporting groups. Advanced joint venture discussions are also underway with several high profile charities, businesses and local community groups in order to transform the stadium into a hub for a range of new health and leisure projects.
The hub could include an indoor play zone, a fitness centre with an inclusive gym, mixed-use function rooms, café and village hall, a versatile space to meet the needs of a wide range of users.
The hub would also be able to host to a selection of classes ranging from dance and martial arts to after-school clubs, adult education, nutritional classes and cardiac rehabilitation. It will also cater for local community groups such as the Brownies, Scouts and it is hoped that the club can work with the LEA to create a student support centre with IT facilities.
John Buffoni, chair of T&MFC said: “In our local way, we are trying to bring about in South London the sort of wide ranging sporting and community club along continental lines such as is found at the Nou Camp in Barcelona.”
