Birkenhead Park given sports boost

Nov 23 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

BIRKENHEAD PARK is set for a sporting boost.

Sports clubs, educational establishments and recreational groups around Birkenhead have signed a unique partnership to create the Birkenhead Park Sports Association.

The group, in partnership with external agencies, will work to promote sport in Birkenhead Park and the surrounding areas.

Peter Greville, development manager at Birkenhead Park Rugby Club, has been named chair of the Association. He said: “A key aspect will be the promotion of the concept of Birkenhead Park as the green lung for the surrounding, high-density residential areas, some of which are in the top 1% of socially deprived areas in England.

“The promotion of the park as an activity community resource will combine sporting and recreational activities with environmental awareness, healthy living initiatives and safety issues.”

Birkenhead Park Sports Association has the backing of Sport England, which also directly supported the Birkenhead Park Rugby Club regeneration project.

Membership of the association is open to all sports and recreational groups, primary and secondary schools as well as other agencies within the areas surrounding Birkenhead Park.

Those already signed up include cricket, football, rugby, crown green bowls and angling clubs as well as local secondary schools.

Cllr. Bob Moon, the authority’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism, said: “The group is the first of its kind within Wirral and Merseyside.

“We hope that in the near future this approach will be adopted at other parks and open spaces within Wirral.”

For more further information of how to get involved, call Kate Karmy, Community Projects Officer, at Birkenhead Park on 0151 652 5197