The official opening of the new 3G pitch all weather football pitch at St Gregory’s Catholic School took place last Friday and heralds a new sporting opportunity for students from across the borough
After four years of planning the much anticipated new state of the art 3G football pitch was officially unveiled at St Gregory’s Catholic School last week. And to celebrate, the school which also boasts a successful football academy, held an inter schools football tournament for local primaries including St Augustine’s, St Matthew’s, Southborough, Langton Green, Claremont and Bidborough.
Also in attendance at the event on Friday March 23 were the mayor of Tunbridge Wells Julia Soyke and her Southborough counterpart David Elliot alongside other dignitaries including former footballer and Kent County Cricket Club President Bob Bevan MBE, who cut the ribbon on the pitch.
Head Teacher Mr Sean McQuillan said: ‘St Gregory’s has a long history of sporting excellence, particularly in football, and our new 3G pitch will help students further develop their skills.’
The school’s Assistant Head Teacher Noel Bradbury, who has been instrumental in obtaining a grant for the project, thanked key sponsor the Football Foundation, which is funded by the Premier League, the FA and Sport England, for their £500,00 grant. He also praised the involvement of Kent Sport Development Unit, West Kent Schools Football Association, MSporti and Foresters FC adding: ‘This project would not have been achievable without those key partners.’
He added: ‘The new 3G pitch has also had a huge impact in the local community so we’re opening up huge opportunities not just for the students in our school but in our primary schools and the wider community too. When league matches would have ordinarily been cancelled due to poor weather at this time of year they have been able to play here and so continue to develop their skills further. This facility is going to be huge for all types of sporting development in the community.’
Among the local clubs who will be taking advantage of the all-weather pitch are Tunbridge Wells Foresters, Langton Green, Ridgewaye and Tunbridge Wells FC.
