Community Development and Environment Report
Sport Review November 2025
- Introduction
The Parish Council’s strategic objectives are developing youth activities, supporting opportunities for older people, enhancing the environment, and providing community buildings. Sport plays a vital role in delivering all these aims.
Our current sports provision was shaped by a comprehensive review in 2017. Since then, provision has been revisited annually during budget setting and remains robust, with the original framework still serving the community well. In particular, the partnership with Stakeford and Bomarsund Welfare continues to thrive, with football, bowls, and cricket all played at the Welfare.
New opportunities now arise with the introduction of the PlayZone. The Parish Council has a responsibility to encourage participation from groups that the Football Foundation identifies as facing barriers to accessing sport. In addition, the PlayZone provides scope to expand the range of activities on offer, including organised netball, basketball, walking football, fitness groups, and informal casual play.
Following the demise of Stakeford Juniors, the future of Guide Post Field requires consideration. This significant amenity space has hosted junior football matches and tournaments and is valued by residents. Northumberland County Council wishes to retain it as amenity land so far, and the Parish Council recognises the importance of protecting it for community use.
- Vision
The Parish Council envisions a community where sport and physical activity play a central role in improving wellbeing, strengthening social connections, and enhancing the environment. We aim to broaden opportunities so that residents of every age and background can participate. Through the development of youth activities, opportunities for older people, protection of green spaces, and the provision of high-quality community facilities, we will ensure that sport continues to meet the Parish Council’s strategic objectives—creating a healthier, and more connected community.
- Aims and Objectives.
This review of sports provision in Choppington will:
- Evaluate current provision and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Integrate the new PlayZone into the area’s sports offer, focusing particularly on attracting participation from priority groups identified by the Football Foundation.
- Acknowledge and promote the wide-ranging benefits of sport for physical and mental health, social cohesion, and personal development.
- Develop a sustainable plan for future sports activities—building on past successes, maintaining existing strengths, and identifying new opportunities for growth.
- Background – Existing provision
Existing provision by Choppington Parish Council. The Parish Council already delivers and supports a wide range of sports and physical activities: Choppington Parish Council sponsors extracurricular football sessions at Mowbray and Ringway Primary Schools and Cleaswell School. Previously also Stakeford and Choppington schools. This benefits around sixty-five local children weekly.
We also provide a multi sports school holiday activity during the spring and summer holidays. We support other activities through direct grant funding including annual support of bowls and snooker, and shared costs for specialist grounds maintenance and equipment.
Our support of Stakeford and Bomarsund Sports and Social Welfare provides accommodation for indoor activities for those in the younger age range to those in the older age range including indoor cricket and keep fit. Available to hire is the 3G Multi User Games Area. In the past the Parish Council has tried to introduce walking football without success but would encourage this activity in the future. It has also supported in the initial stages, a now successful football coaching session for girls.
A summary of established provision is shown below excluding sport in schools:
| Activity | Venue |
| Outdoor Bowls | S&B Welfare |
| Carpet Bowls | S&B Welfare |
| Golden Burlesque | S&B Welfare |
| Hoop keep fit | S&B Welfare |
| LBT Keep fit | S&B Welfare |
| Line Dancing | S&B Welfare |
| Cricket indoor | S&B Welfare |
| Jnr Football coaching | S&B Welfare |
| Cricket outdoor | S&B Welfare |
| S&B Welfare | S&B Welfare |
| MUGA 5 a side | S&B Welfare |
| Yoga | Earth Balance |
| Yoga | Holy Family Church |
| Cambois rowing club | Wansbeck River |
| Ballet, tap, modern | Dancing school Guide Post |
| Jnr football | Bedlington football Factory |
| Line Dancing | Choppington Welfare |
- What we know:
- A new PlayZone has received planning permission for construction at Choppington Primary School so extending the sporting provision to the Scotland Gate community.
- A MUGA is sited at Cleaswell School
- Parents travel outside of area for activities for their children including organised football, rugby, martial arts, darts, swimming which is not available in the Parish
- Adults travel outside area to attend the Leisure Centre for multi sports activities.
- Survey pre PlayZone, identified that residents would pay to use it for football, and the facility was welcomed for informal play.
- There is a grant of £15,000 available from Sport England which if we are successful in obtaining can provide the startup costs for the PlayZone. Advertising is provided by Football Foundation and NCC support is available
- Proposals:
- PlayZone; This is an opportunity to introduce a new audience to different sports.
- Northumberland County Council has proposed the employment of a Community Sports Coach to develop multi sports activities on the 6 PlayZones. This is initially a fixed 12-month contract at a cost to each Local Council of £7k. This support gives the Parish Council the necessary and much needed sporting expertise and may form the basis of a longer-term arrangement.
- A PlayZone Steering Group must be established, comprising community representatives and Parish Councillors, to guide the development and oversight of the facility.
2. To develop further the sporting activity at Cleaswell Park, the inclusion for a Skateboarding initiative at the skateboard park to introduce new and increased participation for this sport
3. Develop the tarmac area external to PlayZone for outdoor fitness equipment.
4. Continue to support through grants sports for younger and older persons and continue shared costs with existing organisations for ground maintenance work.
5. Support occasional sporting events at Guide Post field maintaining a casual recreational use for the community.
6. Seek new delivery partners for introduction of new sporting opportunities in all and every area of the Parish.
7. Friends of Cleaswell Park to enhance community involvement with sporting activities.
Recommendation
That the Parish Council:
- Approves the report and the proposals contained within it and include provision in the budget for 2026/27
- Commits £7,000 for one year to support a Community Sports Coach for the PlayZone.
- Authorises officers to identify suitable members of the community to join the PlayZone Steering Group.
Angela Brindley
Rob Delap
18 November 2025