Littleborough Sports Centre secures £28,600 from sporting legacy fund

Littleborough Sports Centre has secured Olympic legacy funding from Sport England's Inspired Facilities fund.

In an announcement by Sport England, more than 1,300 local sports projects across the country have now received National Lottery funding through Inspired Facilities, part of its Olympic and Paralympic legacy programme and this is one of well over 300 projects across England receiving lottery investment from the fourth round of funding.

Link4Life will receive £28,600 of National Lottery funding to rejuvenate the currently defunct all-weather training pitch at Littleborough Sports Centre for use by the local community including the local school and sports clubs. It will also be used by Link4Life as an outdoor fitness training facility. The refurbishment plan will include resurfacing, reconditioning of the floodlights and new perimeter security fencing and gates.

To celebrate the award, local people will be invited to a free taster day upon completion. With news of the successful bid, the work will now go out to tender and is expected to be completed by the new year.

Sport England's Chair, Nick Bitel, said: "A year on from the Olympics, this National Lottery investment is helping us deliver a lasting sporting legacy in the borough of Rochdale.

"With investment now on offer from our Inspired Facilities Fund until 2017, we look forward to supporting many more sports clubs in the North West who play such a vital role in grassroots sport."

Head of Leisure and Community Development, John Taylor, said: "We are delighted to once again receive support from Sport England. This will see the refurbishment of the existing gravel pitch at Littleborough Sports Centre, which has been out of commission for a number of years. The development will provide a continued 2012 Olympic legacy for the borough of Rochdale. It will also further support our boroughwide strategy for increasing physical activity and will support the continual investment in the Link4Life and Rochdale Borough Council portfolio of leisure facilities."

The latest successful funding bid will add to key improvements made to Littleborough Sports Centre two years ago which saw investment of over £600,000 in an extension to create a new fitness suite and aerobics studio, an outdoor multi-use games area and improved disabled access. Other improvements to the centre include a purpose-built youth gym and an indoor climbing wall, both funded from local grants. Link4Life has recently secured over £200,000 from Sport England to launch a new adult sports programme called Activ8teme which will launch in September.