Although we have shared a few updates on the pitch, we wanted to once again thank Sport England, Nottinghamshire County Council and England Hockey for their support and funding to help us replace our astroturf pitch this year ahead of the new league season starting in a few weeks time.  

We are proud to be among 324 local sports projects to secure a share of £17 million of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund.

Since 2011, Inspired Facilities has been helping breathe new life into tired community sports facilities and converting existing buildings into venues suitable for grassroots sport.

We have received a grant award of £50,000 from the Inspired Facilities fund, together with further awards of £50,000 from Nottinghamshire County Council’s Legacy Fund and £49,000 from England Hockey’s Capital Investment Programme.

Together, this funding has allowed us to replace the astroturf pitch at the Nottinghamshire Sports Ground in Lady Bay with a top quality surface and improve the floodlighting. These improvements will enable us to continue recent growth, especially through our junior academy, as well as provide an improved facility for other community sports users. All three funding partners are helping us to continue the legacy of improved sports facilities and increased participation inspired by the London 2012 Olympic Games and reinforced by the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Sport England Property Director, Charles Johnston, said: 

“The Inspired Facilities Fund has had a huge impact on grassroots sport across the country. Since 2011, we’ve invested £88 million into more than 1,600 projects to improve and refurbish sports clubs and transform non-sporting venues into vibrant community sports clubs."

“It’s great to see Boots Hockey Club join the long list of successful clubs to benefit from this fund.”

Kirsty Goldie-Brammer, England Hockey National Manager Clubs and Facilities, commented:

 “We are delighted to be able to support Boots Hockey Club through our Capital Investment Program and work them on achieving our vision of creating a nation where hockey matters.  The new surface and floodlight upgrade will provide an excellent facility for existing and new hockey players in the local community.  The project team have put in a fantastic amount of work to make these upgrades happen and it will provide a long lasting legacy for the future.”

Club Captain, Keith Kirkpatrick, said:

“We are extremely pleased to have secured this investment from all three funding partners that means we can provide a better, safer hockey pitch for both existing and new members to support the continuing growth in hockey participation in the Nottingham area, as well as improved facilities for other sports teams in the local community. It’s a real example of the 2012 Olympic legacy reaching outside the London area and benefiting sport across the country.”

We look forward to the pitch replacement being complete soon and sharing more information about the opening ceremony on Sunday, 12 October 2014.