New sports facilities for North Barnet

School-age children, community users and people of all abilities can use a first-rate sporting hub in North Barnet thanks to a £500,000 grant from The London Marathon Charitable Trust.

The grant funded the installation of state of the art sporting facilities at the Archer Academy in East Finchley for use by both pupils at the school and the local community. The facilities include a bespoke indoor climbing wall, suitable for disabled users, and an all-weather 3G pitch with floodlighting.

London Marathon Events Limited Director and Paralympic gold medallist, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson said: “It’s absolutely incredible to see what the donation from The London Marathon Charitable Trust has done and it is great to see how proud the children are of the new facilities.”

Chief Grants Officer for The London Marathon Charitable Trust Sarah Ridley said: “The Trust awards grants for capital projects that inspire and increase the numbers of people regularly taking part in physical activities in London and beyond. The creation of facilities for both school-age children and the broader community provides a model for other projects seeking to maximize the benefits of exercise.”

Headteacher Lucy Harrison said: “It is fantastic to see the benefit that the facilities will bring to both the school and the local community.”