Minster College 3G Synthetic Turf Pitch Grand Opening

On Friday 5th May 2006 a new 3G synthetic turf pitch at Minster College was officially opened. To mark the occasion Charlton Athletic and Icelandic International footballer Herman Hreidarsson was present to snip the ribbon along with KCC Cabinet Member for Education and School Improvement, Councillor Leyland Ridings and KCC Lead member for Sport Councillor Jeffrey Curwood.

The facility will be an excellent resource for the school and local community and will be used predominantly for football and rugby training. Minster College will have full use of the facility during school hours, which will also permit other schools to benefit from and use the facility. Out of school hours, at weekends and school holidays the facility then will become available for community use. This is a unique facility for the area and the first 3G pitch of this type to be installed on a school site in Kent.

Kent County Council, Sports Development Unit successfully bid to the Big Lottery Fund via their PE and Sport programme to secure funding for sports facilities across the county. Of which Kent is seeing a step change in the provision of PE and sport in the county thanks to the £10.5 million secured.

The total project cost is £432,138; £349,138 secured by KCC through the Big Lottery Fund, £50,000 by Swale Borough Council, £18,000 by Minster College PTFA and £15,000 from Queenborough Fishery Trust. Kent County Council has also invested over £600,000 into the internal sports facilities and changing areas to complement this development.

Third Generation or 3G pitches as they are known, represent a new development in synthetic turf. The pitch itself is a Desso Soccergrass TD60 and it looks like natural grass with similar playing characteristics, non-abrasive and can be used with rubber studs. The open structure gives a firmer grip and provides for better ball control. Pushing off, running, stopping or tackling are all possible without additional risk of injury. This thanks to the mix of quartz sand and rubber granules layered into the pitch, which provide effective protection and added shock absorption. The floodlights and all weather capabilities of the pitch will make it ideal for rugby training but importantly it can be used for competitive football matches and meets with FA and UEFA standards. The durability of the surface means that matches can be played concurrently one after the other and could provide a solution to all those matches that are postponed during wet weather. It is not just wet weather the pitch in beneficial for, in summer grass pitches harden which increases the risk of injury whilst a 3G pitch retains its impact absorbency.

KCC Cabinet Member for Communities Mike Hill said: “This project will raise the profile of sport for the whole community and the students at Minster College. Once completed, the facilities will be a flagship for the PE department, allowing them to raise both standards and achievements. It will also greatly benefit all local clubs and associations in the Isle of Sheppey.”

For information about this project, please contact Portfolio Manager Edward Fane at Kent Sports Development Unit on 01622 605341.

For enquiries about the school’s sports facilities contact the school on 01795 873591.