Community Engagement in Ealing and Hounslow

Brentford FC Community Sports Trust has been a key player in the application process for this project in Ealing and Hounslow. Under the leadership of Senior Manager for Communities Engagement, Graham Goodden, BFCCST submitted an expression of interest to the Football Foundation to bring playzones to the local communities of Hounslow and Ealing. Two consortium groups were formed to oversee the application process and ensure community consultation was at the heart of the planning.

Ealing

In Ealing, the consultation process began with a survey distributed to a network of partners, participants, and local residents. A total of 466 responses were received, highlighting the community’s strong support for the creation of a playzone. Through careful analysis, five potential sites were identified based on the survey results:

• Young Adult Centre (The YAC)

• Southfields Recreation Ground

• Spikes Bridge Park

• Gunnersbury Park

• Acton Park

To ensure a wide range of voices were heard, BFCCST and its consortium partners also organised four community consultation sessions. These sessions, held at the YAC, included young people, local residents, and staff, discussing priority sports, opening times, and additional facilities like benches, social areas, and drinking fountains. The YAC site is scheduled to open on 28th January 2025, with Southville and Acton Park slated for development next.

Hounslow

In Hounslow, the community consultation received even more engagement, with 755 responses to the survey. The most popular locations for a new playzone in Hounslow were:

• Brabazon Road

• Brent Lea Recreation Ground

• Clayponds Estate

• Heston Farm

• Highfields Estate

• Sutton Lane

• Worton Road

• Ivy Bridge Estate

Following the consultation, BFCCST and its partners were able to narrow down the final list to key sites in Hounslow.

Collaboration for a Better Future

The playzone initiative in both Ealing and Hounslow has been made possible through collaboration between local councils, national sports organisations, and community groups. Consortium partners include:

Ealing: Ealing Borough, Basketball England, England Netball, Middlesex FA, Y4 Youth, London Tigers, A2Dominion, London Youth

Hounslow: Hounslow Borough, Basketball England, England Netball, Metropolitan Police, England Boxing, London Youth, A2Dominion, Middlesex FA, KO Club Trust

Together, these partners have worked tirelessly to ensure that the community consultation is both inclusive and representative, making sure that the final playzones meet the needs and desires of local residents.

What's Next?

The opening of the YAC playzone in Ealing marks the beginning of this exciting project. Southville and Acton Park will follow, with anticipated openings in early 2025. In Hounslow, the development of playzones at Highfields Estate, Clayponds, Brabazon Road, and Heston Farm are in the works, bringing new, accessible spaces for sports to these communities.

This project is a significant step forward in making sport more accessible to all, ensuring that local residents in both Ealing and Hounslow can enjoy a variety of sports close to home.