The Foundation has received welcome support from the football community as the statements below -
Lee Doyle, CEO of Brentford FC CST
"The Brentford FC Community Sports Trust aims to deliver exciting, progressive and socially inclusive multi-sports participation, coach education and facility development programmes, enabling participants, coaches and volunteers to realise their potential through community sport. The Trust supports the aims of the Udney Park Community Fields Foundation to buy and run these precious playing fields in Teddington"
Fulham FC Foundation Mike McSweeney
"As a sports charity, the Fulham FC Foundation is committed to delivering its vision to create a healthy, inclusive and thriving community. Our mission is to build better lives through sport, and we can see that your Foundation shares the same purpose and goals. The Fulham FC Foundation supports the Udney Park Community Fields Foundation plan to own and operate Udney Park, for local sports clubs and for the local community. We wish you well in your future plans"
The FA confirmed -
"As a charity focused on supporting clubs and communities to have access to high quality facilities – the Football Foundation would like to see all playing fields utilised for the benefit of the community, particularly in areas where there are deficits in provision and demand for more people to be active through football (and sport more broadly). What/who we fund is somewhat dependent upon specific project types, you cannot apply if you are an Individual/Sole Trader or a Commercial/For-Profit Entity.’’
There appears to be no route to charitable funding for Keith Williams "commercial model" as the FA confirm, so hopefully Mr Williams will acknowledge this sooner rather than later and withdraw from the process..
Political momentum for a CPO growing
The Udney Park Trust have released a ‘press release’ updating everyone on the momentum gathering for a CPO of the fields at Udney Park. Local hustings were held as a prelude to this week’s general election and the Trust raised a question regarding the future of the site. It was confirmed at the hustings that there was universal support for a CPO from all parties.
The tragedy of the War Memorial Pavilion has been revealed by arial photos taken by residents. These reveal that under the ownership of Mr Wu the building has fallen into such disrepair as to render future renovation work hugely expensive. The project had been to bring the changing rooms back into early use for the community clubs playing on these fields. There were relatively new boilers and heating systems installed just before Imperial College sold the site. The building interior had been dry – even if the changing rooms needed to be brought up to modern standards.
It is hugely disappointing to report that Udney park is now under offer from another group of investors headed up by local resident, Keith Williams.
Udney Park is an Asset of Community Value, defined in the Localism Act (2011) as "Land is an asset of community value if its main use is to further the social wellbeing or social interests of the local community." The Localism Act states that ‘social interests’ include cultural, recreational and sporting interests
