Time to celebrate as pitches open
Reporter: DAWN MARSDEN
Date published: 22 June 2011
OFFICIALLY open... England international rugby star Kevin Sinfield with Carol Cawkwell, head teacher at the Hathershaw College of Technology and Sport, with pupils at the official opening of the new 3G pitch
Vandal attack fails to spoil official launch
ENERGETIC youngsters enjoyed an action-packed fun day to mark the grand opening of state-of-the-art sports facilities.
Pupils from the Hathershaw College of Technology and Sport, Holy Rosary Primary, Broadfield Primary and St Martin’s Primary celebrated the launch of the 3G synthetic pitches with a host of sporting activities.
The four schools form a Co-operative Trust and after the younger children saw their own pitches declared open by Latics mascot Chaddy the Owl, they went to Hathershaw to see England international rugby star Kevin Sinfield open the pitch there.
With the formalities out of the way, pupils took part in a sports day complete with a football competition.
Vandals attacked the facility at St Martin’s in Fitton Hill just a week before the official opening.
They set fire to patches of the pitch and left rubbish strewn across it as well as daubing walls with graffiti, destroying outdoor play areas and smashing windows but pupils and staff were determined that it wouldn’t affect their fun.
The trio of pitches, which were funded by New Deal for Communities, cost £350,000. The schools were hoping to leave the pitches open for community use but the vandalism attack could see security tightened.
