The Thinking Schools Academy Trust is delighted to support ‘Pompey in the Community’ with an ambitious project that will soon be completed.
Hundreds of young people, including many pupils from our Trust schools in Portsmouth, are already benefiting from state-of-the-art football facilities at the new John Jenkins Stadium in the heart of the city.
As a Trust, we have supported this project in a little way by sponsoring a pitch-side board and cheering them on for the excellent ongoing work they are achieving.
The new John Jenkins Stadium, named after D-Day veteran and life-long Pompey fan John Jenkins, is a brand-new sports facility that will become a central hub for everyone within the city.
The facilities available will give people a space where they can train, learn, play, and, most importantly, belong and grow.
It will also serve the needs of the community in Portsmouth, as according to Portsmouth City Council’s Playing Pitch Strategy 2018-2022, there is an urgent need for more sports provision in Portsmouth and a shortfall of high-quality football provision in the city, particularly 3G pitches.
The centre will also house a boxing ring and gym, a café, a community garden, and classrooms, all set against the backdrop of their green pitches. Working in partnership with Moneyfields FC, the site will also be home to the team.
The Thinking Schools Academy Trust recently attended the new facility alongside other businesses from across the community, and we are overjoyed to be involved at the beginning of this exciting journey.
Anna Webb, Deputy Director of Education for primary schools in Portsmouth, praised what has been achieved with this new facility for the community.
She said: “Pompey in the Community do an excellent job for people of all ages across Portsmouth, which is fantastic to see, especially with the work within our schools through their sports provision and inspiring classroom learning. Their mission is to ensure everyone has equal opportunities and achieve this through effective sports delivery, and that aligns with the opportunities we strive to provide to every pupil we engage with in this city.”
Lee Miller MBE, Deputy Chief Executive of Thinking Schools Academy Trust, praised the project and the inspiring backdrop it will provide for any of our pupils who will engage with activities there.
He said: “The John Jenkins Stadium is not all about football, it is about bringing the community together for a range of sports, learning, and feeling a sense of belonging. Pompey in the Community is already delivering coaching and training programmes in some of our schools, and this stadium will contribute to their already impressive portfolio of having a positive impact on the lives of others. I look forward to following their journey to transform the lives of the people it serves.”
