Marlborough Sports Garden is in full bloom after winning MyLocalPitch’s
November Outstanding Facility Award.
The grassroots sports facility is home to a top class 5-a-side pitch in
the shadow of the Shard, which is being upgraded to a brand new 3G pitch in
time for the New Year. 5aside.org run several leagues from Marlborough
Sports Garden throughout the year for London’s aspiring footballers. They
provide FA qualified referees, match balls and bibs.
Marlborough Sports Garden is managed by Bankside Open Spaces Trust, who
took over the duties from Southwark Council.
The history of the Marlborough Sports Garden owes its existence to
Consuelo, Duchess of Marlborough who decreed that “Surplus land from an
insanitary area between Borough High Street and Red Cross Street should be used
as a recreation ground”. 100 years later this open space remains a key area for
physical activity in the city.
November’s grassroots venue award, which is determined by MyLocalPitch
users, was based on pitch quality, venue amenities and customer experience.
MyLocalPitch is a platform for sports players who want to find and book
sports venues in London. Users have the choice of over 9,000 of the best venues
around the UK for 17 featured sports. The service has most recently launched in
Brighton.
Jamie Foale, Co-Founder of MyLocalPitch, commented: “Marlborough
Sports Garden is one of London’s best sport facilities for grassroots football.
5aside.org and BOST do a brilliant job running leagues and the experience will
be even better once the new 3G pitch has been laid in time for the New Year.”
David Shear, 5aside.org General Manager said: “We feel very
privileged to be able to run our social sports league at this unique venue in
the heart of the city. Locals and workers can really benefit from this
outdoor space either through football, netball or use of the sand. The
development of the 5aside pitch for the new year means this space goes from
strength to strength and we are delighted to be part of that”
Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) is the recipient of Team London Bridge's 2016-19 Building Bridges funding
The Team London Bridge Building Bridges Fund has been supporting innovative, impactful local charities since 2006, and to mark its 10th anniversary the Bridge Building Bridges Task Group has selected the acclaimed Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) to receive the three-year project funding.
The £20,000 a year award will allow BOST to further develop the Marlborough Sports Ground, located at the eastern end of Union Street SE1, Southwark, in order to provide health and wellbeing services for all members of the community. Initiatives to encourage participation and communication will increase the reach of the project and Team London Bridge will offer direct support with marketing and event services.
The London Bridge business community, via the Task Group, chose to work with BOST because the Marlborough Sports Ground offers substantial long-term potential for expanding access to physical activities and provides a proven framework for supporting vulnerable groups.
In particular, the Building Bridge Fund will enable the organisation to appoint a full time Sports Activator who will develop and manage the range of activities available for members of the community.
Read more about this
here.
