In May, we donated £2,000 from our Community Impact Fund towards a new football pitch at Leafy Lane Playing Fields, a community-run sports facility and charity in Corsham, Wiltshire.
The facility is home to AFC Corsham, who have 580 female and male members aged six to 18 – including several GSA residents. It also hosts local affiliated leagues, tournaments and non-sporting community groups such as nurseries.
As the club has grown from 22 to 38 sides in just six years and has a long waiting list of players, the existing 36x27m floodlit artificial pitch is no longer big enough to accommodate demand. Our funding will help to redevelop it into a full-sized 91x55m artificial pitch.
In November 2024, the Wiltshire Playing Pitch strategy highlighted Corsham as being in urgent need of additional winter floodlit all-weather facilities. Our £2,000 funding is part of a wider investment project, including £1million from the Football Foundation, to transform the facility.
With significantly more space available, Leafy Lane’s community engagement plan will target underrepresented groups to ensure the new facility best meets their needs. These include people from low socio-economic groups, culturally diverse backgrounds, women and girls, and people with disabilities – many of which will be GSA customers.
The plan aims to make football affordable and accessible to all and encourage a more diverse range of players to boost community cohesion and health outcomes.
Andrew Simpson, Director at Leafy Lane Playing Fields, said: “The new pitch will be a fantastic addition to the local community, providing a high-quality, all-weather surface that can be used year-round. It will support the growth in demand from local football clubs, schools, and community groups by offering a safe, reliable space for training, matches, and recreational play.
“This new facility not only promotes health and wellbeing through increased physical activity but also strengthens community ties by creating a welcoming hub for people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to come together and enjoy sport. Thanks to GSA for their generous donation.”
The Community Impact Fund is an initiative designed to benefit our localities and the people who live there. Grants of up to £2,000 per project are available for charities and community groups working to support local people.
Sian Every, our Community Investment and Social Value Lead, said: “I’m so pleased we could help fund the new and improved pitch. Community sport offers a social lifeline to so many people and supports mental and physical health and wellbeing.
“GSA has over 1,300 properties in Corsham, including 200 at the Rudloe estate very close to Leafy Lane, so it’s fantastic to be able to directly improve the local facilities for our customers.”