Supporters of The Udney Park Community Fields Foundation

We have had an overwhelming amount of support from the local community, other clubs and organisations that recognise the need for green space.

Some of these expressions of support provided when Quantum originally proposed to sell the fields are as below:

Support From The National Sporting Bodies

Bill Sweeney, CEO of England Rugby

“Udney Park is an incredible playing space very close to the Teddington High Street that gives adults and children the ability to easily access the many benefits of grassroots sport. It is fantastic to see such a dedicated group trying to keep the fields for the sole purpose of community sport, including rugby. A lot has already been done in consulting with local clubs across multiple sports to gain their involvement and it’s important that the pitches and playing fields remain available for everyone to use.”

Tom Harrison, CEO, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)

"On behalf of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), I write to endorse the above campaign and its efforts to ensure that cricket is returned to Udney Park in Teddington. There is significant local need to bring cricket back to the park for local sides, at both junior and senior levels. Read Full Letter >>

Katie Phillipson, Head of Participation & Development, Middlesex FA

"Middlesex Football Association fully support the need for the development of grass pitches at Udney Park Playing Fields. Local consultation has shown issues with overuse and low availability of grass pitches, as identified within the Local Football Facility Plan, which demonstrates the strategic need for further provision in the borough to service the local football community. The development of this site will support the provision of community football, specifically that of Hearts of Teddlothian, a key community club in the area."

Munira Wilson MP

Udney Park is a rare open space within our constituency where community sports teams can train and play.

“It is a great local asset and I pledge my full support to the community bid.

There is so much potential for the site to be brought back into full use and for the pavilion, which was built in 1922 as a war memorial, to be renovated.

It was inspiring to meet coaches and children from Teddlothian FC who have more than 650 members and are in search of a home.

Likewise, Thamesians RFC have thriving Men’s and Women’s teams, but the option of a permanent home would allow them to expand their provision of rugby for children.”

Endorsements from all the borough's professional rugby clubs

Laurie Dalrymple, CEO Harlequins Football Club

"Harlequins welcomes and supports the community bid to secure Udney Park for community sport. We hope the Harlequins Foundation can help promote wellbeing by working with the local clubs involved.”

Paul Burnell, President of London Scottish RFC

Paul Burnell is a former Scotland international rugby union player. He was also a member of the 1990 Grand Slam Scotland team. He toured New Zealand in 1993 with the British and Irish Lions and at the time played club rugby for London Scottish.

"We believe in the positive impact that sport and specifically rugby can have in a community, and we are happy to endorse our local neighbours and friends at Thamesians with their venture to build a local sporting community hub in Teddington at Udney Park.

This project will preserve green space and provide the opportunity for many children and adults to benefit in the many ways from playing sport and will allow rugby, football, cricket, and the other sports to go from strength to strength at grassroots level in this community. We support this community bid for Udney Park and look forward to visiting and sharing the playing field soon."

Steve Hill, Director of Rugby Richmond rugby club

"Udney Park has the potential to be a fantastic sports facility right in the centre of Teddington. As a resident of Teddington I truly hope this site can be developed to allow the whole Teddington community to benefit. We know how important good sports facilities are to ensuring people of all ages get out to both exercise and meet like-minded people. I wholeheartedly support the work that Jonathan Dunn and his team have been doing and wish them all the best in their endeavours."

Paul Sinton-Hewitt, CBE FRSA

Parkrun started back in 2004 when 13 runners got together on a blustery day in Bushy Park, Teddington, UK. Local resident Paul Sinton-Hewitt CBE is the founder of an organisation which pre-Covid had weekly parkruns in over 700 locations around the world, based on the simple, basic principles formed from the start: weekly, free, for everyone, forever. Paul is working hard to re-start parkrun after the pandemic though took time out to offer his support.

"I have closely followed the story of Udney Park in Teddington, in an area with a population engaged in community sport there is a deficit of space for outdoor recreation, especially pitch sports. parkrun is keen to expand "junior parkrun", our 2 km events where children run independently. Udney Park is a perfect location for a "junior parkrun", as the Park has a secure boundary of around 1km. An Udney Park "junior parkrun" will be a great addition to the community and the first step in ensuring that our younger generation in Teddington starts out life with a healthy attitude to sociable physical activity. I am delighted to endorse the bid by Udney Park Community Fields Trust to acquire the Park and protect it forever, we have never needed locations for volunteer-led amateur sport as much as we do in 2021. "

Hugh Brasher, Event Director of London Marathon Events (LME)

Hugh has worked tirelessly on all but one London Marathon since 1981. Hugh's father Chris Brasher was a co-founder of the London Marathon (and pacer to Sir Roger Bannister in the first sub-4-minute mile).

"There has never been a more important time for local sports facilities to be preserved for and run by local enthusiasts.
Activity levels through the pandemic have plummeted, especially in children, and with the nations' obesity crisis being one of the major contributors to the terrible consequences of Covid 19, we need to do everything we can to inspire activity at a local and national level.
Udney Park is a great local asset that has an incredibly rich history – with the help and foresight of Udney Park Community Fields Trust it has the potential to have a great future.
I fully support their campaign to acquire and run the fields for the benefit of the local community."

Wayne Barnes, international rugby referee

Wayne Barnes English international rugby union referee and barrister. He is a Teddington resident. He has refereed games the English Premiership, the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup. At international level, he has refereed matches at the Rugby World Cup, the Six Nations, the Rugby Championship and the Pacific Nations Cup competitions.
"Not only have I trained on Udney Park with the other International referees, but I have regularly visited it with my own children and I know how valuable it is for the local Teddington community to have easily accessible grassroots sport, including rugby, close by. It’s so important that the pitches and playing fields stay available for everyone to use and it’s great to see such a committed group working hard to acquire the site to enable this."

Richard Solomon, Chief Financial Officer, St Mary’s University

"St Mary’s University is supportive of the proposals to secure community ownership of Udney Park playing fields. We look forward to collaborating with the team operating at Udney Park, and we would welcome the opportunity for our students to engage in coaching placements with community clubs.”

Amanda Robinson, Participation Development Partner, LTA

"Our vision is ‘Tennis opened up’, and our mission is to grow tennis by making it relevant, accessible, welcoming and enjoyable. We’re here to govern and develop tennis in Britain, from grassroots participation through to the professional game. We want to enable men and women of all ages and abilities to play more often, all year round. We therefore support the development of tennis opportunities at Udney Park and in turn the community bid being put forward."

Martin Lehuray, Teddington Hockey Club

“Teddington Hockey Club is fully supportive of the community based, sustainable plan for Udney Park Playing Fields. Teddington and its surrounding areas are major contributors to the high levels of participation in Richmond Borough across a wide range of sports, growth of which is limited only by the lack of quality facilities. The importance of sport and leisure to physical and mental well-being has never been clearer, in these challenging times. The proposals for Udney Park Playing Fields will be of great benefit to a broad cross section of the community.”

Irina Selyutina, former professional tennis player

Irina Selyutina is a former professional tennis player and now a resident of Teddington. She is married to tennis player Wayne Black. Irina was world No. 1 in junior doubles, winning the French Open, Wimbledon and the ITF Junior Girls Doubles all in 1997 with Cara Black. Later she won three doubles titles on the WTA Tour, and won eight singles and 20 doubles events on the ITF Women's Circuit.

"Being from a tennis background, with two children hoping to follow in our footsteps, finding tennis courts and playing fields is always a challenge for us. There are not enough of these beautiful parks in this country and every effort must be spent to hold on to them. By engaging our youth and playing a key role in developing our future sporting champions, these grounds are where it begins, and dreams are realised."

Wayne Black, former professional tennis player

Wayne Black is a former professional tennis player from Zimbabwe, now living in Teddington. Wayne won two men's doubles Grand Slam titles (2001 U.S. Open and 2005 Australian Open) and two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles (2002 French Open and 2004 Wimbledon)

"For the recreational user, tennis courts and playing fields are a vital part of physical and mental health as well as sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life.
We fully endorse this beautiful park to stay with the community and be a part of the lives of all residents! Well done to Jonathan and all concerned with this."

Capped Old Thamesians

Bob Mordell Thamesians, Wasps, Rosslyn Park, Middlesex, London Counties, England

"I started my rugby playing journey at my hometown rugby club, Thamesians, which has now survived in Twickenham, against all odds, for almost 60 years without a permanent home. That it has survived for so long in such difficult circumstances reflects the commitment and continued energy provided by previous and current officers and members of the club. It has provided sporting facilities and sporting and personal development for literally hundreds of young people during that period of time and so I will be absolutely delighted if the Thamesians Rugby Club have now finally found a permanent home. The Udney Park site will enable the club to continue its excellent sporting and personal development ethos for future generations of young people in the years to come."

Adrian Alexander, Thamesians, captain of Harlequins, Middlesex, England U23, Barbarians, Oldam Rugby League

"I would like to take this opportunity in thanking Jonathan Dunn for allowing me to support the great work to be carried out at Udney Park Road, Teddington. I was born and bred in Stanley Road in Teddington and attended school St. Marys and St. Peters, followed by Thames Valley Grammar School. After playing for Thamesians I captained the Harlequins in Twickenham and was part of the winning Middlesex team in the County Championship in 1979. Teddington was the most wonderful place I know to grow up in, full of parks, the river, rugby, football, cricket, tennis and many other sports. It was and is a great community with a wonderful spirit, creating many great sportspeople. Go Jon Go!"

Graham Birkett, Thamesians, Harlequins, Middx Anglo Scots, and Scotland

"I have been aware of the situation re the site for a number of years as my parents bought the first house built in Chadwick Close, Udney Park Rd and my stepmother is still resident there. The fields were always intended for recreational use and personally, I think it would be fantastic if the various interested sporting bodies, including the Scouts could have use of this precious site. For my first rugby club Old Thamesians to finally after 60 years gain a permanent home would be amazing and a benefit to the community. It was from my start at Thamesians that I then progressed to Harlequins, Middx Anglo Scots and Scotland but you never forget where you started the journey and the life-long friends one has made. I fully appreciate there are many parties that have a stake in this site but the site was originally donated for the community to enjoy physical activity and in a world where opportunities of this nature are in decline together with all the obvious health benefits, it would be a dream come true for all the clubs that would stand to gain from this venture."

Rex Stonehouse, Local resident and manager of St Agathas FC

"It would be amazing if this green space could be opened up to local sports teams again.

As one of the managers of a local football team, I am aware of how difficult it can be to find football pitches available locally.

If Udney Park Playing Fields were to become an option, I am sure there would be lots of interest from teams to play there given its wonderful setting and central location.

At the same time, the pavilion could become a vibrant part of the community again.

I hope this bid is successful and that Quantum exits and allows community sport to return."

Sue Martineau, founder and captain of Wasps womens' rugby team

Sue was a Great Britain squad member and captained the first womens’ rugby team to play at Twickenham. Sue lives locally with husband and four sport loving daughters.

"I whole heartedly support the bid to return Udney Park playing fields back to the community. It is essential that women of all ages have opportunities to be physically active and they have access to local sports clubs. "Women in Sport" research shows that there are 700,000 more inactive women than men in the UK. They discovered that lockdown has led teenage girls to recognise the value of exercise for physical and mental health and with this in mind, we have to ensure outdoor spaces are safe and accessible to girls."

Emelia Arbouine, Thamesians RFC ladies captain and Jamaican sevens player.

“Due to the growth of the Thamesians over recent years, our home at the pavilion on Twickenham Green is simply now too small." “This will bring together our playing, training and clubhouse to a single venue and allow us to develop our mini and junior sections, which we cannot do with the current separation of our pitches from any facilities.”

Nigel Botherway, Thamesians Ladies Head Coach and Sunday Times Rugby Correspondent

"I am delighted to read that Boris Johnson also believes in keeping Udney Park as a community sports facility and not for housing. Rugby isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of life."

Tom May, England Rugby International

"Being active is central to staying healthy both mentally and physically and for the land at Udney Park to be used for the local community in the provision of sport and health promoting exercises is brilliant. Within London it's becoming harder and harder to maintain land for the primary use of sport which is such an integral part of what we need in our lives, not just to promote healthy living but for social reasons. The last year or so has shown what social creatures we are and sport allows us to build social opportunity within communities which can be a key factor in mental well being too. So pleased that this has now been set aside by the team for sport. No better reason for it to be set aside!"

Ben Pegna, current Thamesians RFC Head Coach

Ben Pegna, current Thamesians RFC Head Coach for men’s team, professional rugby player spanning 12 years, coaching career including assistant coach at Wasps, and the Academy coach at London Scottish, as well as a performance analyst for both England rugby and the RFU, and acting as a consultant to the WRU, Melbourne Rebels, and Bulls. He is now helping put together the proposals for Udney Park.

"I am passionate about ensuring that all the children growing up in the local area have the opportunity to take part and enjoy sport.

Maintaining Udney Park as playing fields for the benefit of the entire community provides sustainability for many sporting organisations and ensures that men and women and all children across the borough have access to the facilities and the opportunities these organisations provide.

This important recreational and sporting hub provides an inclusive, safe and well-equipped facility where the community can thrive and it is critical we look after and protect it."

Robin Brown , Hampton Wick Councillor

"I'm delighted that a community plan for the playing fields is coming together now that Quantum has announced they are planning to sell. Well done Jonathan and all concerned. I urge Quantum to exit gracefully without delay."

Chas Warlow, Local Green Party candidate

"it sounds exciting, and I fully support community ownership as a way to keep the playing fields - and the inherent green space - available to public users and community organisations."

Sam Burge, Chairman, East Molesey Cricket Club

"This is a wonderful project and I'd like to congratulate Jonathan and all involved for the work undertaken so far. Quite simply, there is a real need for sporting facilities in the area and cricket is no exception. Udney Park has a rich history of cricket being played and the prospect of cricket returning for men, women, boys & girls is a hugely exciting one."

Support from local residents groups

Udney Park Playing Fields Trust

"Udney Park was originally protected as recreation space when Teddington was developed after the railway arrived, in 1922 it was opened formally by WW1 Home Secretary Lord Cave as a War Memorial Playing Field and then in 1937 was bequeathed under covenant for amateur sport. The Udney Park Playing Fields Trust welcomes the plan led by Jonathan Dunn to acquire Udney Park via a charitable trust and run the playing fields for local community clubs."

Lisa Wyborn, Secretary, Teddington Together

"Udney Park Playing Fields is in a prime position in Teddington which provides much needed green space for local residents. We are over the moon that so many associations are working together to keep this vital space for everyone to continue to enjoy."

Teddington Society

"We are delighted that a well-supported community bid has been assembled by Teddingtonian Jonathan Dunn to acquire the site for multiple sports activities – rugby, football, cricket, tennis, netball and a mini “Park Run.” "We very much appreciate the determination of Richmond councillors and our MP to ensure Udney Park stays as a Community Playing Field."

Words Of Support