Barclays.comBransbury Park, Portsmouth
Since this thriving sports site opened, the local area has seen crime and anti-social behaviour levels drop by 26%, as visitor numbers continue to soar.
Football fans at Bransbury Park
What people say:
“The development of the Barclays Spaces for Sports site has allowed the Respect Programme to offer a range of structured activities, including training courses, volunteering and employment opportunities,” says Julian Wadsworth, Social Inclusion Programme Manager.
“Improved sports facilities have allowed the club to develop – and young people who were previously not engaged in sports coaching or clubs are now fully involved. Bransbury Park is now the hub of youth provision in south-east Portsmouth, improving community awareness and massively reducing youth crime in the area.”
Find out more
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Background
Prior to involvement from Barclays Spaces for Sports, areas of Bransbury Park in Portsmouth were derelict, unsafe and in desperate need of refurbishment. Use of the park was limited as a result, particularly during winter months due to a lack of floodlighting.
The local area suffered from above city-average youth crime rates, and high levels of unemployment across age groups.
The new site was developed to provide people of all ages in the area with the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities, strengthening links among the community and promoting careers in sport. It opened in August 2007.
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Our contribution
Barclays Spaces for Sports’ initial investment went towards the installation of a large synthetic turf sports area, and improving drainage for four full-size football pitches, a skatepark and a mini football area. It supported renovation of a basketball and netball area, and helped pay for floodlighting, allowing the site to be used in the evenings and through the winter.
We also awarded a development grant to Portsmouth City Council, to help ensure the sustainability of the site, contributing to the salaries of a project co-ordinator and sports coaches, plus kit and equipment.
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How the site benefits the community
A 26 per cent fall in youth crime has been recorded in the area around Bransbury Park since the redevelopment.
Now, more than 1,200 people access the site each week – 70 per cent of them under the age of 18. Portsmouth Football Club runs its Respect Programme there, promoting community involvement and participation in physical activity for young people. The scheme also identifies potential sports coaches, supporting them in attaining coaching qualifications and giving them valuable career experience.
A number of local sports teams regularly use the site’s facilities, including the Portsmouth Netball Association and the University of Portsmouth’s award-winning girls’ football team.
More than 25 free sports and leisure activities are also available at Bransbury Park, such as cheerleading, cricket, basketball and fencing. In school holidays, further activities for young people are provided, such as archery, fishing, sailing and scuba diving. Thousands of people have taken part in these out-of-school schemes since January 2007.
