Long Wittenham Athletics Club is seeking a grant of £750 to cover the cost of drawing up plans to improve facilities at the clubhouse in Bodkin’s Field. The club is to approach South Oxfordshire District Council which has a capital grants scheme to help community projects. The parish council may also make a contribution.
At the March meeting of the parish council club secretary Ron Carter said they were undergoing a complete make-over to tidy up and improve the clubhouse and surrounding area. He said the first phase of the project had been completed. New doors and windows and the clubhouse had been installed and the building re-wired. The main room had been re-plastered and re-decorated and new external cladding erected.
Mr Carter said: “Now we are looking at phase two of our project which involves an extension and improvements to changing facilities. We plan to add a women referee’s changing room, new women’s toilet and a toilet for disabled people. In addition we want to install a pitched roof over the extension.”
The second and most ambitious phase is expected to cost more than £15,000. The club will embark on a series of fund raising events and will seek financial help from various funding sources including SODC and the parish council.
The aim is to bring the club and facilities up to date to cater for new and existing residents in a village which over the next few years is set to expand. Mr Carter said: “We want to improve our club’s facilities so that that there will be a mutual benefit for both the club and community.”