The Football Foundation recently visited Winchester to see the progress of the new pavilion at King George V playing fields.
Joined by Cllr Martin Tod, Cllr Kelsie Learney, and Winchester MP Steve Brine, the Football Foundation heard how the new pavilion will support the continued development of grassroots football and cricket in the district, and in particular the recent growth of women’s and girls’ football.
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The pavilion, funded by Winchester City Council alongside grant funding from the Football Foundation, replaces two out-dated pavilions with a single larger, accessible, modern facility, that encompasses a number of energy-saving measures to make it more sustainable. It adds to the hub of high-quality sports and community facilities around the Winchester Sport and Leisure Park.
Costs of the scheme have soared from an initial £2.3m to £3.3m, forcing the council to dig deep to ensure the development was completed.
Cllr Tod said: "It’s fantastic to see the progress of the new pavilion: it's going to be a brilliant facility for the local community. Thousands of people from across the district - men, women, boys and girls - come to play sport at our King George V playing fields, including Winchester City Flyers, one of the UK's largest female grass roots clubs.
"We’re incredibly proud to be able to invest in our community in this way and thank the Football Foundation for supporting it too with their grant programme."
Work on the pavilion is expected to be completed late 2023/early 2024.
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