Uefa Donates Maxi-pitch Ahead Of Final
To mark the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Women’s Champions League finals arriving in London this week – as well as the English Football Association’s 150th anniversary – UEFA has donated a maxi-pitch to a local community in London, with ambassador Steve McManaman on hand to officially open the facility at the Churchill Gardens Estate in Pimlico on Wednesday.
The unveiling in London was part of UEFA Grassroots Day, a Europe-wide celebration of grassroots footballs, and has seen pitches donated to all UEFA Champions League final host cities since 2010.
Following the unveiling, Steve McManaman said: ‘It is great to see the Churchill Gardens Estate and the whole community benefit from the UEFA club competition finals coming to London again this year.’
‘The UEFA Champions Week in London is not just about the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Women’s Champions League finals but also grassroots football, which forms the basis of top-level football. We all started playing at local football pitches and this maxi-pitch is a great facility for aspiring football greats!’
The maxi-pitch is fully funded by the UEFA Grassroots Programme and will provide a quality football facility for the residents of the Churchill Gardens Estate.
The FA and UEFA, in partnership with Westminster Council, identified Churchill Gardens Estate as an ideal location for the maxi-pitch, due to the lack of open space in the area and lower levels of participation in football.
The maxi-pitch, and its location, is designed to make a positive impact on increasing levels of sport and physical activity amongst residents, local families, children and adults, as well as providing a venue for two primary schools and local youth clubs to use.
Steve McManaman was also joined at the opening by Cllr Sarah Richardson, Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Jonathan Glanz, Cabinet Member for Housing, Barry Bright, Leader of The FA Council, David Clark, England Blind Football Captain alongside thirty local schoolchildren from the area.
Barry Bright, Leader of The FA Council, said: ‘It was a great privilege to be present at the opening of this new UEFA Maxi Pitch in the heart of London. You could see from the looks on the children’s faces what such a facility means to them and I am sure it will be in constant use. In our 150th anniversary year, The FA is highlighting the grassroots and today’s event reminds how this focus is also of paramount importance to UEFA. Congratulations to everyone involved.’
Along with a number of activations around the capital, UEFA Champions Week includes the UEFA Champions Festival, a free four-day event outside the Olympic Park, with the UEFA Women’s Champions League final set to take place tonight at Stamford Bridge before the year’s showpiece event, the UEFA Champions League final – an all-German affair – at Wembley Stadium on Saturday evening.
Elsewhere in London, UEFA and PlayStation have been giving young boys and girls a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train with UEFA Champions League players at the Festival.
Following a competition, the winning teams have been taking part in coaching sessions with UEFA ambassadors Faye White, Steffi Jones and Patrik Andersson, with a second session set to take place on Sunday.
Winners were chosen for their achievements and commitment to football, and will now have the chance to be coached as champions of tomorrow by legends of the past.
