Local youth charity Inspire and the University of Suffolk are teaming up to provide students and young people with sporting facilities to aid their mental and physical wellbeing.
The University of Suffolk, situated along the Ipswich Waterfront, and Inspire, a charity dedicated to supporting young people on to a positive future, are forming a partnership with the aim to strengthen both their services and provide students and the community with state-of-the-art sports facilities which, depending on planning, will begin development in 2023.
These facilities will include an enclosed full-size grass pitch to BUCS (British Universities & Colleges Sport) standards with security fencing and floodlighting, and an all-weather pitch.
As a second phase, they hope to work together to provide improved home and away changing facilities and potentially a social facility.
These facilities will enable students to participate in a variety of sports and activities which will in turn improve their health and wellbeing.
This partnership will help both organisations further their missions which include supporting young people, skills development, providing opportunities and investing in their physical/mental wellbeing.
Tim Greenacre, University of Suffolk's Chief Operating Officer, said: “It’s really gratifying to develop our partnership with Inspire through the delivery of these great assets for University and community use. This will be a modern sporting facility which generations of our students and local people can use and enjoy. Both the University and Inspire have a powerful positive impact on our locality and working together in this way helps us deliver even more.”
Alex Gooch, President of the University of Suffolk Students’ Union, said: “The Students' Union is very excited about the development of these facilities and the quality of these plans. These facilities will give a true sense of belonging to our teams and give them an unquestionable home here at the University of Suffolk where they can feel proud to play sports. This is one of many projects the University and Students’ Union are working on to improve the experience for our students.”
Terry Baxter, CEO of Inspire, said: “We are so excited for this partnership to bring the local community closer together and to support young people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing, as physical activity is so important for mental health. Both the University of Suffolk and Inspire are dedicated to supporting young people onto a positive future, and I feel this partnership will strengthen our joint efforts in achieving this goal.”
