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West Sussex’s Chichester
Ronin Judo Club has received £450,000 funding from Sport England
towards building a new multi-use dojo at the New Park Centre.
The application was made
to Sport England’s £10 million fund which allocates money to projects
that will unearth new opportunities for grassroots sport in rural
areas. The new multi-use dojo is part of the first phase of the
ambitious project to refurbish and extend the New Park Centre.
With significant funding
already secured from Chichester District Council, The Woodger
Trust and the valuable contributions from numerous other Trusts,
Foundations and individuals the Sport England award of £450,000
brings the fundraising target to within 90 percent of the figure
required to complete the project. The aim is to begin building
work early in 2011 and be complete by the end of next year.
Michael Foyle, Chairman
of the New Park Centre Arts Association, said: “I am incredibly
proud of this achievement. The Sport England Rural Communities
Fund was considerably over-subscribed with just 15 projects going
forward from some 520 original applications. For New Park Centre
to be successful in such a highly competitive and rigorous application
process really underpins the value of this project.”
Mark Beecher, Development
Manager for the British Judo Association, believes the funding
is vital to further developing Chichester Judo Club’s existing
links in the community.
“The BJA are pleased that
New Park Centre has been awarded this grant to develop the facility
as a whole and provide an excellent judo facility incorporating
a permanent mat dojo and spectator seating,” he said.
“This will enable Chichester
Ronin Judo Club to continue with and develop its successful club
programme, in addition to establishing new links within the community
and local schools. The clubs depth in coaches and volunteers will
ensure that this new facility will maximise its potential going
forward.”
The first phase of the
project will see the dilapidated single-story building adjacent
to the Old Victorian School demolished and replaced with a new
building incorporating a multi-use dojo, showers, changing and
toilet facilities and a replacement for the Hall next door.
The current sports hall
will then be refurbished to provide two flexible multi-use community
rooms. Measures are in hand to ensure that the New Park Centre
remains operational during this development process and temporary
alternative accommodation is being sought for any groups who will
be displaced because of building works.
Chichester’s new dojo will
facilitate significant expansion of activities and enable martial
arts groups to host training sessions and regional competitions
at New Park for the first time. It will also be finished in time
for Olympic teams to use in the build up to the 2012 Olympics.
Chichester Ronin Judo Club
train at New Park Centre, PO19 7XY. Boys and girls train on Monday
and Friday at 19:00 – 20:30 while men and women train on Friday
at 20:30 – 22:00.
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