A local school and football club are appealing for the local community to come together to help urgently restore a Northfield playing field used by over a thousand local children.
The playing field in Merritts Brook Lane, at the bottom of Vineyard Road, is used by Bellfield Junior and Infant Schools and Bartley Reds FC, as well as other local schools and clubs. Tens of thousand of pounds had been raised and spent to improve the facility over recent years. Orchards Primary School were due to hold their Sports Day on the site today, but have had to cancel.
After being occupied by a group of travellers last week, the field has been left unusable with extensive damage including to fencing and flytipping and waste left on site. The changing room building has extensive damage to electrics and fire safety systems. One of the containers has been damaged, with rubbish and faeces and a fire set inside.
The schools and football team now need to repair thousands of pounds worth of damage and, with summer holiday clubs looming, they are seeking help from individuals, organisations and businesses in the local community.
Bellfield Junior School headteacher Nigel Attwood said: “The field has cost tens of thousands over the last 5 years to get it to a fantastic standard – both the field and the toilets and changing room building.
“We have fundraised and used grants to support this project as it is used by over 1000 children – not only in the two schools and Bartley Reds FC, but other community groups and schools in the area. Indeed, another school has had to cancel their sports days and we have holiday clubs planned down there.”
Help needed:
- Electrician
- Fire safety expertise
- Security expertise
- Welding / fencing
- Container (removal and possible replacement of a 20ft container)
- Rubbish removal, skips
- Landscaper
- PPE / Black bags etc
- Pairs of hands!
You can contact Nigel Attwood or donate financial support via the GoFundMe page
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