Ahead of next month’s Netball World Cup, Enfield Council has been awarded a £150,000 grant to resurface nine courts which will help maintain the popularity of the sport in the borough.
The court improvements will ensure the continuation of the North London Netball League (NLNL) which is based at Broomfield Park, Palmers Green. The League has been fundamental in nurturing local talent aiming to follow in the footsteps of the England squad who stormed to Commonwealth gold in 2018.
Enfield has a long association with netball with four clubs based in the borough - Minchenden, Oakwood, Palmers Green and Southgate Olympic NC – which are part of the NLNL. The teams making up the NLNL provide the opportunity outside the school environment to train and socialise. The League has also played a strong role in developing talent and providing opportunities for girls from all backgrounds to progress in the sport at a competitive level.
Enfield Council was awarded the money from a £1.7 million funding pot from the London Marathon Charitable Trust. The money will go towards the resurfacing of nine courts, six of which will have dual use with tennis at Broomfield Park.
With around 1000 committed participants already, the Council will be measuring the impact of the new courts and would like to increase participation by 10% in year one and 20% in year two.
In addition, to promote inclusivity in the sport, a new walking netball programme has been proposed for those who have perhaps been inactive, or unable to play at a more energetic level. For those who have played netball in the past and want to get back into the game, there will also be a Back to Netball Programme. To keep up-to-date on these proposals, sign up to Enfield Council’s newsletters at https://bit.ly/2kjGUW1
Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment & Sustainability, Cllr Guney Dogan, said: “We warmly welcome this grant from the LMCT which will make a massive difference to the facilities we are able to offer in the borough The resurfacing of these courts will provide a safe and fun environment for all and in turn will help to ensure the survival of the NLNL.
“With a growing focus on pitch sports, we are delighted that with our ongoing investment we can make sporting activities much more accessible.”
The Cabinet Member for Public Health, Cllr Mahtab Uddin, said: “Although we have made great strides in improving the health of our residents overall, Enfield has the third highest rate of childhood obesity in London. With many initiatives in the pipeline to help support participation and inclusivity in netball, we hope to see people of all backgrounds taking up this sport.
”There are clear benefits to taking more exercise and by encouraging people to be more active we hope to increase the general health of the population.”