A VILLAGE on the outskirts of Chester is celebrating after landing a major grant to create a new football pitch and children’s play area.
Ashton Hayes Sports and Recreation Association (ASHRA), has received £45,000 from Cheshire West and Chester Council’s (CWaC) rural support programme to help buy and develop land to provide the proposed recreation area.
Although ASHRA had obtained some funding from the parish council, local ward councillors and community donations they did not have enough money to carry out the scheme.
The council’s rural west area team and rural economic regeneration service worked closely with the group to identify a solution to their funding challenge. ASHRA were encouraged to apply to the Council’s Rural Support Programme and were successful in their bid.
ASHRA has now purchased the land and over the coming months will start planning the development of the site. Andrew Garmon, chairman of ASHRA, said: “The Ashton Hayes Sports and Recreation Association is extremely grateful to the council for this grant. Raising money to buy land for recreation is a difficult undertaking.
“We managed to raise the majority of what we needed with money from the parish council, local ward councillors’ grants, donations from residents and some other sources, but we still had a significant funding gap.
“The grant not only bridged the gap but provided further funds to landscape and develop the site. It made the difference between success and failure and we are grateful to the officers and councillors involved for responding to this community need.”
Cllr Stuart Parker, chairman of the rural support programme board, said: “ We were very happy to support this initiative. The Council’s Rural Support Programme has been set up specifically to help local groups such as ASHRA deliver projects that will benefit their community.”
Cllr Lynn Riley, executive member for community and environment, said: “This is an excellent example of how the council is providing opportunities for different groups and individuals to come together to work up solutions that really deliver what local residents want.
“In this case, the ‘big community idea’ comes from the community itself, with the council then helping to facilitate and fund. Overall a winning partnership to getting things done.”