£3.8m boost for sports village

A £3.8 million funding windfall has given a major boost to Warrington’s showpiece Orford Park project – and for the town’s students of the future.
The money, from the Department of Children, Schools and Families, has been secured for a cutting edge “applied learning zone” at the park.
It will ensure the delivery of highly practical diplomas in a variety subjects at the planned £30 million community sports village to be built in the park.
These include Society, health and development, Public services, Sports and leisure, Hospitality and catering and Environment and land based studies.
The learning zone will be equipped with state of the art technologies and facilities in order to best meet the needs of key employers in the region. Opportunities for community, adult and family learning will also be available.
Work is due to start on the Orford Park project towards the end of this year
And it is expected to open in November 2011.
Fifty acres of land in a high profile location next to the A49 Winwick Road will be transformed into a valuable community asset providing a wide variety of leisure, health and education facilities on one site.
There will be football pitches, library, health centre and numerous other facilities.
The village is designed to help promote key local, regional and national aims including:
The North West Development Agency approved an investment of £3.6million to the scheme and other partners include Sport England, the Football Foundation, Warrington Town FC, NHS Warrington, William Beamont High School and Warrington Collegiate.
The diplomas are innovative new qualifications for 14-19 year olds, created to provide a real alternative to more traditional education and qualifications.
They combine theoretical and practical learning to equip students with the knowledge and understanding needed for successful further or higher education and long-term employability.
Picture: an artist’s impression of the Orford Park project