Sporting Assets were able to work with the Leslie Sports Foundation (LSF), providing capacity building support funded by Reach, which helped to secure investment, including £100k from Sporting Capital, to replace the Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP).

LSF have been operating a large multi-sport facility near Huddersfield since 2011. This included inheriting an AGP that was well beyond its useful life, with a pitch that was dangerous, lighting that was outdated, and perimeter fencing in need of repair. There was no sink fund set-up to pay for the refurbishment of the facility. Closure of the facility would have disproportionately impacted individuals residing in the underserved communities neighbouring the facility that are within the top 10% and 20% most deprived in the country.

Our support included:

• conducting needs and strategic analysis of the local area;
• support to review the wider community offer and the impact it brings;
• developing a business plan, cashflow and 5-year forecast;
• sensitivity analysis to test the ability to service the proposed repayable finance; and
• a £100k Sporting Capital loan repayable over 5 years to support the cost of the AGP carpet replacement.

Our support helped to unlock a further £275k of capital grants from 3 funders, and £275k from the Community Ownership Fund to add additional changing rooms to the AGP site and main clubhouse.

The resurfaced AGP will provide a permanent home to Huddersfield Dragons Hockey Club, who had been displaced from another local site. The Dragons are a vibrant Hockey club with 18 active teams, ranging from U10’s girls and boys to mixed adults and development teams. It will also be used for new walking football and walking hockey sessions, football sessions for people suffering from mental health challenges, and by alternative education providers. Finally, it will be used to support the health and wellbeing programme at the University of Huddersfield, continue to be the home of Huddersfield Town Women FC and be used by the local community football club, Shelley FC.