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Sunday 8 June 2008

Labour members visit Sports Action Zone at old Lilian Baylis school


20 members of the local Labour party were treated to a tour of the Sports Action Zone facilities at the old Lilian Baylis school site on the Ethelred estate. Director Brian Dickens told the group about how his team had started providing a programme of activities in summer 2005, soon after the school moved away, leaving the site empty. Since then the Sports Action Zone activities have expanded massively, attracting the attention of celebrities like Michael Jordan, Linford Christie and Kelly Rowlands.

Brian showed the group classrooms used for homework and arts projects, halls used for football, basketball and dance, the boxing gym, and the plush new basketball court, funded by Michael Jordan himself. The site was full of activity, and members were impressed with how much was going on, and what a difference it was clearly making.

The success of the project is a testament to the hard work of all the staff and supporters involved. It did not come about over night. Norman Turner, Chair of StreetGames, has said 'Lambeth Council and Kate Hoey MP are applauded for their vision and commitment to the project. They backed the London Sport Action Zone to take over the derelict school buildings when it would have been easier to walk away and sell off the land.'

You can read more about the project here and on the SAZ website.
Pictured: Cllr Steve Morgan, Kate Hoey MP, Mark Harrison and Cllr Lorna Campbell at the SAZ.

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Promoted by David Amos and Joanne Simpson of Prince's Branch Labour Party (Vauxhall Constituency and Lambeth Borough) all at 264A Rosendale Road, SE24 9DL