New £365,000 sports pavillion in East Northants village set for official opening

The pavillion at the Tollbar Road Playing Fields will be opened by Football Foundation chairman Gary Hoffman at 9.30am on Saturday (May 21).

The project was made possible thanks to a £196,000 grant from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund, which provides grants towards developing new or refurbished grassroots football facilities.

Grants were also received from Islip Parish Council, East Northants Council Communities Fund, Islip Sports Association and a number of other footballing funds.

Prior to these grants the facilities were unsuitable for modern football use, with two steel shipping containers being used as changing rooms.

However, the new pavilion now includes two team changing rooms, two officials’ changing rooms, spectator toilet facilities, a club room and kitchen and storage space.

The council also carried out external improvements, including a new site entrance and car park.

Islip Parish Council worked in partnership with the Northamptonshire FA to secure the funding.

Since 2000 the Football Foundation Funding Partners’ investment has provided 178 grants worth £7.5m towards grassroots sports projects worth over £15m across the whole of Northamptonshire.