Further blow to grassroots sports as trust announces cuts to more Notts community facilities

In a month of bad news for sports clubs in the area, a further two sites have now been announced as no longer allowing community access, potentially leaving local teams without training and matchday facilities.

In an email exchange seeking further clarification on the trust’s decision to cease community use, it was confirmed that Kirkby’s Ashfield School and Selston High’s facilities had also been included in the decision.

The news will come as a blow to the many grassroots teams which currently hire pitches and tracks at the schools and had been hoping to return to their usual facilities as the pandemic eased.

The email said: “I can confirm that the facilities at Manor Academy, Ashfield School and Selston Academy have ceased trading and will no longer offer community lettings.”

This is in addition to the news released earlier this month that the Manor Sports Complex would no longer be hiring pitches and astroturf to local teams.

A spokesperson for the Two Counties Trust who run the Manor Academy, Ashfield School and Selston High, said: “We have made the difficult decision having fully investigated what is required to open these facilities to the community, including the necessary staffing, meeting health and safety legislation and considering the impact it would have on the schools.

“We have not come to this decision lightly, and in reaching this conclusion have reviewed the alternative facilities in the locality to ensure there are alternative recreational facilities for community use.

“We appreciate the impact this might have on some and apologise for any inconvenience this might cause, but hope people will understand the extreme pressures at this challenging time for so many organisations across the country.

“We are committed to providing a high-quality education and work to provide as many opportunities as possible to our pupils, and we have made this decision in order to be able to keep delivering on that promise.”

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