City of Bath Pétanque Club secures £23,185 National Lottery funding from Sport England.
New national standard terrain at Larkhall Sports Club will offer excellent facilities to develop the sport of pétanque both locally in Bath and regionally.
This award is through the National Lottery’s Inspired Facilities, part of its Olympic and Paralympic legacy programme.
City of Bath Pétanque Club has secured a ten year lease on land at the Plain Ham site of Larkhall Sports Club to build a pétanque terrain consisting of either 8 International sized pistes or 12 smaller pistes. This will enable the Club to offer playing and coaching facilities to people of all ages and abilities within the community.
Users of this new terrain will also benefit from sharing Larkhall Sports Club’s existing clubhouse, floodlighting and car parking.
The grant is in addition to matched funding being raised by the City of Bath Pétanque Club members.
Pétanque is a very inclusive sport, which can be enjoyed from beginner level, and with improved skills can progress to regional, national and even international competitions. Teams of people of different age, gender and ability can all compete together, which is unusual in other sports. The Club is particularly keen to encourage people with disabilities or limited mobility to get involved in the sport, as part of the legacy of the Paralympic Games.
Sport England’s Chair, Nick Bitel, said: “Two years on from the Olympics, this National Lottery investment is helping us deliver a lasting sporting legacy in Bath.”
“With investment from our Inspired Facilities Fund until 2017, we look forward to supporting many more sports clubs in the South West who play such a vital role in grassroots sport.”
Club Chair, Lesley Hall, said: “We are thrilled to accept this award, which after 10 years of playing in Bath’s parks and squares, gives us a home ground with facilities to match our enthusiasm for the sport, and encourage more people to join in. We are also grateful to Larkhall Sports Club for offering to share their facilities.”
Local MP, Don Foster, said: “I am delighted that Sport England had decided to award this funding to the City of Bath Pétanque Club. The funding will go towards a new terrain which will provide some great new facilities which will be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities within the community who will be offered the chance to play and be coached.