- Christine Wallace welcomes news that 1 sites across Lambeth and Southwark have now been refurbished thanks to investment from the Government, ensuring more people across Lambeth and Southwark have access to high-quality grassroots sports facilities.
- 1,000 public tennis courts across England, Scotland and Wales have now been refurbished in the first phase of the Government and Lawn Tennis Association programme, backed by £30 million programme of investment.
- The Government’s investment in sport is supporting the surge in grassroots participation and encouraging people to get active which is key to delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to cut NHS waiting lists.
Christine Wallace welcomes investment from the Government, resulting in the brand new refurbishment of 12 sites in Lambeth and Southwark, ensuring greater access to grassroots sports for local people.
1,000 public tennis courts have now been refurbished on the eve of the Wimbledon Championships, thanks to the ongoing rollout of a £30 million investment in the grassroots sport.
The £30 million package, which has seen £21.6 million committed by the Government and £8.4 million by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), is the most significant investment in grassroots tennis for a generation.
In its lifetime, the package will deliver vital improvements to the condition of over 3,000 park tennis courts across England, Scotland and Wales between 2022-2024, with the target of attracting 500,000 more players every year.
Every court being refurbished will also benefit from access to the LTA online booking system and digital access gates, to make getting onto court as easy and secure as possible for tennis players across the country.
The LTA recently announced a rise of 43 per cent in adults playing during 2022 to a total of 4.7 million, and a significant increase in children playing annually to 3.6 million. Notably there has also been significant growth in women’s participation, up 34 per cent, and participation among 16-34 year olds up by 48 per cent.
This major investment is designed to support the Government’s commitment to levelling up sports provision across the nation. It also provides greater opportunities for everyone to follow health guidance on physical activity, which will be crucial in delivering the priority to cut NHS waiting lists as more people get active.
The Government is providing financial support for other grassroots sports, including over £300 million of funding which is being used to support the roll-out or refurbishment of multi-sport facilities across the UK between 2021-25, and a £60 million investment into local swimming pools in England this year.
Commenting, Christine Wallace said:
“I welcome this investment from the Government in 12 sites in Lambeth and Southwark. Funding for grassroots sports is essential to get people active. I have been playing tennis since I was four years old, and I am glad that residents in Lambeth and Southwark have the same opportunity with the help of these new facilities.
“I look forward to playing at the new facilities very soon and they are a true asset to Lambeth and Southwark.”
