Chester FC Community Trust has been awarded a grant of £125,000 from Power to Change for the next phase of Chester’s new community sports hub.

The grant from Power to Change’s Community Business Fund will see improvement works undertaken at King George V Playing Fields in Blacon to bring the derelict Pavilion and grass pitches back into use.

Once refurbished, the Pavilion will provide two changing rooms, office, kitchen and classroom, which will be used to deliver a range of activities and available for the community to hire, while local sports clubs will be able to use the grass pitches for training and matches.

The first phase of the sports hub, which includes a new state-of-the-art floodlit 3G artificial grass pitch and Clubhouse, is almost complete and will open to the public soon.

“This grant is great news as improving King George V Playing Fields was a key part of our vision for the sports hub,” said Mike Vickers, Chair of Trustees at Chester FC Community Trust.

“It is a prominent and popular site that has been part of the Blacon community for almost 70 years, but it has deteriorated over time to the point that the pitches and changing rooms are no longer fit for use.

“This grant from Power to Change will allow us to refurbish the Pavilion with new changing rooms and community facilities, and complete a substantial upgrade of the grass pitches including new drainage, bringing them up to modern standards.”

Power to Change is the organisation set up to grow and support community businesses in England. Additional funding for this phase is coming from a Section 106 agreement relating to the nearby housing development at Clifton Drive.

King George V Playing Fields is a protected Fields in Trust and the site will continue to be fully open to the public for recreation and to access the children’s play area.

Chester FC Community Trust is continuing to raise funds for the sports hub and donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/campaign/kgvsportshub.

If you would like to know more about the scheme, have any questions or would like to be involved in the project, please contact Community Trust CEO Jim Green on 01244 371376 or email jim.green@chesterfc.com.