Capel-le-Ferne Community Recreation Project Secures £49,735 from sporting legacy fund

Capel-le-Ferne Parish Council (Community Recreation Project) has secured Olympic legacy funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Fund.

The Inspired Facilities fund is part of the £150 million Places People Play legacy programme that is bringing the magic of a home Olympic and Paralympic Games into communities across the country. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.

Sport England today revealed that more than 1,000 local sports projects across the country have now received National Lottery funding through Inspired Facilities, which is part of the £150 million Places People Play legacy programme. Every sports facility that receives funding will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark – celebrating the link to the Games.

Capel-le-Ferne Community Recreation Project will received £49,735 of National Lottery funding to provide outdoor gym facilities, which will be situated on the Playing Field in Lancaster Avenue, Capel-le-Ferne, which has a new 99 year lease and Queen Elizabeth II “Fields in Trust” status. The site is situated in the vicinity of the Village Hall which is the main social hub of the village. The project also includes 31 metres of tarmac path which is 1.2 metres wide to accommodate wheelchairs/pushchairs/buggies and also ensure that a dry and non-muddy access to the facility is available at all times.

Right from the outset, public involvement via a fully comprehensive door-to-door consultation and a questionnaire, public meetings, suggestion boards, liaison with the local school and village hall clubs, display board in the village hall foyer and local newsletter has ensured that these facilities are shaped as a result of listening and carefully collating all data collected. This ensures it will correctly capture and enable a proven participation in sport. It is believed that by fully involving the community, they will take ownership of the project, realise that aspirations can become reality and with determination will achieve the installation of this much needed facility. A groundwork company based in Capel has discounted the tarmac pavements required for access to this facility.

Invaluable support, advice and guidance received from Lynn Brisley, Community Development Officer at Dover District Council and recommendations from the Community Safety Partnership, has ensured that the correct location and equipment was chosen for the facility.

Sport England’s Chair, Richard Lewis, said: “This National Lottery investment is helping us deliver a lasting sporting legacy in Kent from last year’s successful Olympic and Paralympic Games. With so many clubs in the South East having benefitted from this fund already and building on the success of last summer, this is the legacy people want for their local community. This National Lottery investment will create a lasting sporting legacy for Capel-le-Ferne in Kent. This fund has really hit the mark with sports clubs. It shows we’re offering the legacy that people want for their local community. For hundreds of clubs and tens of thousands of people, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were the reason their local sports facilities got better”.

Parish Councillor Keith Pilcher said: Members of the Parish Council were elated with the news of the Inspired Facilities funding award of £49,735. The results of a questionnaire circulated to the community indicated that outdoor gym equipment would benefit so many residents within the community of all ages with various local groups expressing an interest in using the equipment. The Parish Council sought valuable advice and guidance from Lynn Brisley, Community Development Officer at Dover District Council with much support driven across the community of all ages. Now the funding has been granted, planning the installation of the outdoor gym equipment which includes facilities for the disabled can begin. We are confident the equipment can be ready for use during this coming summer.

Local MP, Charlie Elphicke said: “This award is great news for Capel le Ferne and will ensure there is a lasting Olympics Legacy in South East Kent. Congratulations to all involved in winning this funding”.

Dover District Councillor, Frederick Scales said: “It is great that a scheme of this kind developed by local residents as a community project has been successful in securing important funding.”

Capel-le-Ferne Community Recreation Project is one of 310 projects across England to receiving lottery investment from the third round of the Inspired Facilities fund and one of over 1,000 to benefit overall, with the milestone being achieved one year ahead of schedule. Many more communities can still benefit from the fund, with a further two rounds remaining. Bids will be accepted for the fourth round of Inspired Facilities Funding from the 4 March 2013. You can find out more at www.sportengland.org/inspiredfacilities.

Places People Play is being delivered by Sport England, working partnership with the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA) with the backing of The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the London 2012 Inspired mark.