New 3G pitch unveiled at Hurst School in Tadley

A new 3G artificial pitch has been opened at a North Hampshire school.

The Hurst School unveiled the new facility earlier this month and said it marked “a significant milestone in the school’s commitment to sporting excellence”.

Headteacher Jayne McLaren was joined in a ribbon cutting ceremony by former headteacher Roger Jones, whose original vision was instrumental in initiating the project.

She said: “It was fantastic to see so many people celebrating the opening of our new pitch with us.

“This new facility represents our commitment to sporting excellence at the school and is a hub for the local community to bring people together and promote inclusivity through sport.”

The Tadley school said its journey to bring the state-of-the-art pitch to life began in 2019, with “an ambitious goal: to elevate the school’s sports infrastructure for the benefit of both students and the wider community”.

The build itself then took six months to complete.

“The Hurst School is now proud to be recognised as a leading institution in the local area for sports facilities,” the school added.

Pupils have exclusive use of the pitch during school hours, with the facility open to the local community during evenings, weekends and school holidays.

After the official ribbon cutting, Tadley Calleva FC and Aldermaston FC U12s played the inaugural match on the new pitch, followed by a penalty shoot-out.

At the same time, the school’s annual summer fete was also held.

The fete, which featured a number of stalls including a raffle and a tombola, raised more than £1,300 to support future projects at the school.

The pitch has been supported financially by Basingstoke and Deane Council, The Football Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Greenham Exchange, Baughurst Parish Council, Tadley Town Council, Jacobs, Reading Football Club, Tadley and Calleva FC, Aldermaston FC, Helping Hands charity and The Hurst School PTA.