Football kick starts a thriving new community at Home's major £135 million housing project in Sheffield

Published by Debbie Pack for Home Group in Housing and also in Communities, Environment

Home, in partnership with Sheffield City Council, is currently making excellent progress to create 1,000 new homes on local estates known as Scowerdons, Weakland and Newstead, (SWaN) in south east Sheffield.

Now being marketed as The Fields, the £135 million scheme is progressing well. In just over a year Home has successfully completed 45 new properties at Weaklands, with a further 54 due to complete soon at Newstead.

 As residents settle into their new properties, Home staff are working on ways to generate a fresh community spirit at the Fields. After consulting with young residents it was obvious that football is their passion. This led to Home and one of their contractors Mansell sponsoring a football team - The Hollinsend Juniors FC.

 The team officially came into existence when they received their brand new kits at a community event held on Sunday. Their Manager, Maurice Garrett, who has been coaching children from 4 to 18 year olds for the last twelve years has been busy putting his squad through their paces so they are ‘match fit’ to compete with other local teams.

 As Maurice explains: “Football has always been very popular with young people around here and now for the first time we have a fantastic opportunity to channel their enthusiasm. We meet in a local sports ground regularly where we have been putting the teams through a tough training programme so they are ready to compete this season. We have teams for under 11’s, under 16’s and under 18’s and I have already seen genuine talent emerging. Their skills will be put to the test when our matches start on the 6th September.”

Hannah Gormley, Community Development Officer for Home explains: “Home is very keen that a community spirit develops at The Fields. Football is obviously loved by so many youngsters here and we are delighted to be able to develop and support their enthusiasm.

“It’s a very exciting time in south east Sheffield as such a huge area is being regenerated and improved. The community is changing as we welcome new residents choosing to buy property here as well as those residents who have chosen to stay. The football and other activities we have planned are helping to establish a real sense of community ensuring the Fields is a desirable place to live in and visit.”

Cllr Bob McCann, Sheffield City Council's Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable, Safer Communities said: " I am pleased that by working with Home and the HCA that we can offer new, energy efficient affordable homes in this popular part of the city. It is also very encouraging that a renewed sense of community is emerging at the Fields and that the football scheme has proved to be such a success.

Ends.

Notes to Newsdesks/Reporters:

For further information about The Fields or any other Home scheme, please contact Debbie Pack on 020 8582 2203 / 07985 339551, or email her on debbie.pack@homegroup.org.uk

Photographs attached of the newly established football team for the Fields.

Hollinsend Juniors FC support the Boots for Africa charity. For more information visit their website at www.bootsforafrica.org.

About The Fields

All new homes being built at the Fields are of excellent quality and comprise flats, with balconies, houses with gardens. All properties incorporate the latest in energy efficient design.

Properties are available through a variety of tenures, such as: HomeBuy Direct, shared ownership and private outright sale. This makes The Fields an excellent choice for local people in Sheffield wanting to rent or join the property ladder.

The Fields is well situated with great transport links, schools and the Crystal Peaks shopping centre close by.

All rented properties have been ‘ring fenced’ for residents affected by the demolition programme as part of a unique residents charter.

Properties are currently available for sale at the Fields in the Weakland and Newstead areas. For all enquiries contact W H Brown on 0114 247 1421.

For further information about the regeneration programme or other Home initiatives please contact Debbie Pack, PR Officer for Home central, on 07985 339551 or email - debbie.pack@homegroup.org.uk

About Home:

Home is one of the UK’s leading providers of affordable and supported housing, and is committed to providing affordable homes, neighbourhoods where people want to live and support to those who need it.

The organisation, which has a turnover of £270m, manages over 52,000 homes throughout England and Scotland and employs 4,000 staff in more than 80 offices.

www.homegroup.org.uk