Village wants a £750,000 pavilion

3:16pm Thursday 21st February 2008

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A community in Oxford is aiming to raise £750,000 to build a new top-of-the-range sports pavilion.

Old Marston Parish Council has joined up with local football team Marston Saints to raise funds to update the facilities at the recreation ground in Boults Lane.

Parish council chairman Charlie Haynes said the improved facilities would benefit the whole community.

He said: "We're looking to the future and what we can do to benefit the area, and building a new pavilion will be of enormous benefit to the community.

"What we have now is an old, prefabricated building that is falling apart and is in a rather sorry state, which is a shame as there are cracking pitches there.

"Now we just want the facilities to go with them.

"This isn't just for Old Marston - the new sports pavilion will benefit other sports groups in the area."

The parish chairman said none of the funding for the project would be met by parishioners.

Mr Haynes said: "We aim to raise all the money by fundraising, whether it's through the Football Foundation, Sport Relief or various other bodies.

"We would also like to have a professional fundraiser on board that can work with us to raise this money, as I know how hard it can be."

Mr Haynes said the project was still in its early stages and any plans would have to be approved by local residents and planning permission granted by Oxford City Council.

He added: "What we would want is to make it a two-storey building that had shower and changing facilities.

"It would also have a changing area for referees, a storage area and on the second floor there would be a lounge area where you could serve tea and coffee."

John Page, chairman of the Marston Saints Football Club, agreed the benefits for Old Marston's community would be considerable.

He said: "The local Scouts regularly come down and play on the pitch and I'm sure the improved facilities will attract others.

"There aren't many facilities in Oxford that are as good as the ones we are planning to build."

Mr Haynes added: "We plan to set up a management company for the new pavilion that could really make these facilities work for the community."