3G pitch completed for Hexham schools project

17 Mar 2021 ARCHIVED (over 3 months old) - view latest news

A multi-million pound schools project in Hexham is gaining pace with the completion of an all-weather 3G artificial grass sports pitch.

The new pitch was made possible thanks to investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government's Football Foundation.

Forming part of the sports and community facilities, the 3G pitch will not only benefit the students of Hexham Middle and Queen Elizabeth High schools but the local community too.  

Councillor Cath Homer, local ward member for Hexham, said: “This project provided the perfect opportunity to include a pitch which will support local clubs and the community and improve sporting opportunities for the students at both schools.

“A multi-use 3G pitch has been long needed in the area, and I am so pleased to see this come to fruition. It will make a great deal of difference to the whole community and mean so many more people will be able to get involved in sport in the area.”

After netting a £482,575 grant from the Football Foundation, in June 2020 work began on the new 3G pitch on the footprint of the unusable grass pitch to the west of the site.

Councillor Guy Renner-Thompson, cabinet member with responsibility for children’s services, said: “It is important that we give our children and young people the best start in life and giving them access to wider opportunities to engage in physical activity will go a long way in supporting their mental health and wellbeing and their ongoing learning.”

Students have been welcomed back this month following a period of ‘lockdown’ and can begin to enjoy the new 3G pitch.

Graeme Atkins, Executive Headteacher at Hadrian Learning Trust, said: “We are extremely pleased to have this available to our students. Physical activity and access to sport is an important part of a young person’s educational experience. 

They can gain so much from such an experience and to be able to offer this to the wider community as well means so many more people will benefit.”Whilst some Covid-19 restrictions are in place, sport is unable to take place for the wider community; however, once restrictions are eased and the formal statutory processes have concluded, measures will be put in place for clubs and the community to safely use the pitch.

Councillor Jeff Watson, cabinet member with responsibility for healthy lives, said: “This is great news for the local sporting community. It has been long desired to develop an all-weather pitch in this area, and thanks to the grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation this is now a reality.

"The new facility will be a fantastic incentive to encourage outdoor activities for all as we emerge from the impact of Covid-19. It will provide a fantastic base for football development and will be used by a wide range of sports clubs which will improve and increase grassroots sport opportunities in the area.” 

Phase 1 of the project is due to be completed by September 2021 which will see the new schools operational for the start of the academic year.
More information on the project can be found here.