Focus Team win cash for Yate Outdoor Disabled Sports

At last, we have got confirmation that we will be getting a grant for more kit for disabled sports at Yate Outdoor Sports Complex. (You may have seen reports of this in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago, but that was a press release from someone who had not been involved in the grant process, and just heard we had an application in and we were likely to get the money.) Now it has been confirmed.

This is £57,618 for track and field equipment for disabled athletes at YOSC and some additional drainage work.

If you've never been to YOSC or don't know where it is, it is worth going up to have a look. You could pop in and have a drink in the bar and find out more.

A committee, made up of councillors from  the Focus Team  have raised over £1.5MILLION to do the site up since South Gloucestershire transferred it back to Yate Town Council. South Glos had let it get run down, but it now  brand new athletics track and field, a target sprint  facility, brand new all weather surface for hockey and football, grass pitches and work starts next week on a new multi use indoor sports building. All paid for by money the committee has raised from local businesses, councils, Sport England and developers.

The entire facility is run by a group of volunteers, called YOSC Ltd - transforming it from a site that lost £190k a year when S Glos run it, into a self financing project without putting up charges!

Princess Anne visited the site last year to congratulate the councillors and volunteers who have transformed the facility.  So if you are interested in sport, and have not been, do check it out.

(Head for Brimsham Green School and just beyond the School you will find the access road)

Photo - users, volunteers, members of the Focus Team, town council staff and contractors at the handover of the upgraded facilities.

Kelston Close changing rooms upgrade under way

A major upgrade is now under way to Dodington Parish Council's changing rooms at the QE2 Playing Fields, Kelston Close. The £84,000 project has been helped considerably by a £25,000 grant from community programme Barclays Spaces for Sports, partnered with sports charity The Football Foundation. A further £7,000 contribution is coming from South Gloucestershire Council’s New Homes Bonus scheme, and Dodington Parish Council is funding the balance of £52,000.

The new funding for the QEII Playing Field follows previous grants totalling £68,000 from Barclays and the Football Foundation since 2006. These grants were used to pay for a multi-use games area (MUGA), to deliver a three-year sports development plan and to organise holiday sports tournaments for young people.

The changing rooms, which are mainly used by football players on the Parish Council's very popular pitches, date from many years ago when the facilities were the playing fields for King Edmund School (now Yate International Academy)

The works include new showers, accessible toilets, landscaping and general building improvements. At the moment the layout is mainly designed for male players, but Dodington is also aiming to make the changing rooms suitable for any female teams they may have in future.

Grants agreed for local sports

The recent Frome Vale Area Forum decided to give Community Grants to a range of local sporting organisations. These grants were aimed at providing sporting oportunities for local young people.

Dodington football tournaments £2730

Dodington Parish Council has been running football tournaments for 7 to 11 year old boys and girls at QE2 Playing Fields, Kelston Close since 2009. There are two tournaments in each of the Easter, May, October and February half terms - 8 days of free sporting fun for local youngsters, led by professional coaches.

King Edmund Acrogymnastics £3000 

The number of young people involved in this popular sport is increasing, so there is a need to progress volunteer coaches to higher levels. This grant will pay for the coaches' training, safeguarding and welfare courses.

Southwold Swimming Club £1134

Swimming is a demanding sport, particularly at competitive level. This grant will pay for a highly respected and qualified physiotherapist to screen all the Club's competitive swimmers for probelsm that could lead to significant injury.
 

Chipping Sodbury Golf Club £1500

The Golf Club provides a 6 hole academy course on Chiping Sodbury Common that is available free of charge to the public.  There is free junior coaching on this course and practice area, both for members and non-members. The money will provide new wires around the greens to keep the cattle off the playing area.

Sodbury Tennis Club £1500

This money will be half of the cost of upgrading and improving a Mini-Tennis court and providing a dedicated children's fitness area.

Please complete a short survey to support the campaign to update the Kelston Close changing rooms

Please help the project to update the changing rooms at our local playing fields! Dodington Parish Council manages the changing rooms at the QEII Playing Fields at Kelston Close.

Over the years, and with heavy use during football seasons, the changing rooms have become run down and look very sad. The good news is that Dodington Parish Council is seeking to completely renovate the building and the area around it.

The Council is preparing to apply for funding from the Lottery Funded Sport England Inspired Facilities Fund.

Your comments and views are needed to help make our application successful - please share this post and encourage local people to fill in the survey.

Click this link to complete the very short questionnaire: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/qe2kelston

Support a local charity by watching football!

A quick plug for a charity fundraising football match on Saturday week (20th April) in aid of local anti-bullying charity BullyWatch: "There will be a Community Shield football Match on 20th April at Yate Town Football club between our local clubs Dodington FC and Cesson FC 3pm kick off. There will be a raffle and auction and everyone is welcome. The cost will be £2.00 on the gate". Well done to Julie Oakley for organising.

Update: This event raised £650 for BullyWatch. And the final score? Dodington FC 3, Cesson FC 2. Well done to all concerned!

Consultation on Yate Common - more football pitches, car parking?

Yate Town Council is consulting about providing additional football and car parking facilities on Yate Common.  Please complete The Common Consultation on Additional Football Pitches and Car Parking questionnaire as your views are very important in deciding whether to go ahead with the proposals. The questionnaire has a detailed map of the areas involved.