Witney News - New changing rooms for school and community use

New changing rooms for school and community use

New changing rooms have been built at Wood Green School in Witney to encourage community use of its playing fields and provide first-class facilities for students.

West Oxfordshire District Council has funded the £370,000 building, which includes four team changing rooms and two changing rooms for officials.

The school’s playing fields can be hired by football teams and members of the community outside schooltime, however there have previously not been any changing facilities for people to use.

The new changing rooms will be available for community use during evenings, weekends and school holidays from September, in time for the start of the football season. Students will use the facilities during weekdays in term time.

Cllr Hilary Biles, the District Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure, Tourism and Health, said: “The playing fields provide a great amenity for local teams, however there has been a lack of changing facilities. By working with the school and Oxfordshire County Council, we have created facilities that will benefit not only the school and its students, but the wider community. We hope this will provide teams with a better opportunity to train and play locally.

“The changing rooms are built to an extremely high standard and I think this is an excellent example of what partnership working can achieve.”

Cynthia Savage, Head of Wood Green School, said: “These changing rooms are the result of the school, district and county councils working closely together to realise sporting facilities for the whole community which they serve.

“The changing rooms are superb and will be a much-valued addition to the school’s facilities. I encourage members of the community to make the most of these facilities too.”

Cllr Michael Waine, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement, said: “These new changing rooms are an asset for Wood Green School and for its surrounding community. I am sure that all people involved will feel their benefit.”

The four main changing rooms can cater for teams with at least 16 players. This means that both of the playing field’s two pitches could be used at the same time.

Anyone who is interested in booking the playing field pitches, or would like to find out more, can call the school on 01993 702355.