Colombo Centre’s Hatfields sports pitches opened

Southwark Council leader Nick Stanton, Scott Rice, Kate Hoey MP, Simon Hughes MP and Lambeth Council leader Peter Truesdale blow whistles to inaugurate the new pitches

The pitches are owned and managed by Colombo Street Sports and Community Centre, a social enterprise and charity.

The opening of the pitches follows a 4 year local campaign which ended with Lambeth and Southwark Councils transferring two derelict sites to the Colombo Centre at no cost, and £500,000 being raised from the Big Lottery Fund, London Marathon Charitable Trust, a Southwark Council section 106 fund and Waterloo Project Board SRB. The fundraising and development of the four courts was project managed by Coin Street Community Builders.

The four courts are on Hatfields SE1: two are state-of-the-art 7-a-side FIFA approved synthetic turf football pitches and two are multi-sports pitches designed for tennis, basketball, volleyball and netball. The pitches are available for hire without charge to local community groups every evening and throughout the weekend. Local schools pay only £6 per hour for off-peak use. Current peak hour use costs £30-£45 per hour.

Southwark Tigers cheerleaders

"These facilities are long overdue and will make a real difference to the lives of young people and families locally” says Scott Rice, chair of the Colombo Centre. "If London 2012 bid is to be successful, we need to be harnessing this enthusiasm and providing opportunities for all – especially those in inner-London communities."

"To have these outdoor pitches up and running is fantastic. The area has been in desperate need of quality sports facilities to engage all local residents and staff of local businesses in sports at all levels" says Jennifer Mosley, the Colombo Centre's youth and community outreach worker.

• To make a booking call the Colombo Centre on 020 7261 1658.