£50,000 grant to build communities and transform lives

Murray Park Friends Group in Ipswich has secured a £50,000 grant from Biffa Award, a multi-million pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to community and environmental projects across the UK, as part of the Landfill Communities Fund.

The project, which was awarded funding under Biffa Award’s Recreation theme, will create a tennis court and a multi-use games area (MUGA) for community groups, sports teams and schools to use.

Murray Park currently has six derelict tennis courts and one basketball court. These were built over a set of air raid shelters and in recent years subsidence has caused the facility to be unusable and closed to the public for more than two years with no viable plans for repair. The project will create a tennis court and MUGA that could also be used as a second court. The project also includes the removal and landscaping of the remaining courts to improve the overall area.

Glen Thimblethorpe, Chair of the Friends of Murray Park, said: “This will create a valuable facility for the community to enjoy. Leisure users will also be able to enjoy an attractive and pleasant green space, as the old derelict tennis courts will be removed and a landscaped nature area will be created. This has been achieved with many years of dedicated work by the Friends and Ipswich Borough Council and would not have been possible without the funding by Biffa Award, the South East Area Committee and Section 106 planning funds.”

Councillor Philip Smart, Ipswich Borough Council’s parks portfolio-holder, said: “This is excellent news and we are grateful for Biffa Award’s support. This will help us to enhance Murray Park, with more facilities to attract visitors. It is an important open space in east Ipswich and we are working closely with the Friends of Murray Park to improve it for the community.”

Gillian French, Biffa Award, said: “The Murray Park Friends Group has a clear ambition for the future of their local park. This project is an excellent example of how the Landfill Communities Fund can help improve local spaces for the community. We wish them every success.”

For further information please contact:
Catherine Boggild, Communications Officer, Biffa Award: 01636 670062, [email protected]