A ceremony has taken place at Community Sports Foundation’s hub The Nest to mark construction of the new building reaching its highest point.
While proposed completion on ‘phase two’ is not set until later this year, the Foundation team, Cocksedge Building Contractors, and several guests, took part in the brief ceremony to acknowledge the significant milestone in the development of the community hub, which is located in Horsford, near to Norwich International Airport.
The developments will include a 3G artificial football pitch and the new building, which will house an IT learning suite and two multi-use spaces, as well as accessible changing rooms, allowing the Foundation to extend its reach by another 12,000 local people.
Norwich City Football Club and the Foundation, the club’s official charity, are in the midst of a campaign to raise £1 million, which would enable the second phase to be completed, with the Club having pledged to match-fund every pound raised up to a total of £500k.
The topping out ceremony included the traditional pouring of beer over the building, which was completed by Jackie Thornton from the Foundation, and Norwich City’s Business and Project Director Zoe Ward.
The total cost of the second phase of development is £4.6 million, with the additional £3.6 million made up from funding, such as the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, Norfolk County Council, Greater Norwich Growth Board, New Anglia LEP, and previous fundraising from local businesses, trusts, donations, and events.
The Nest is a multi-purpose community hub that has been designed to provide the ideal environment for the Foundation to address local issues such as social mobility, health and wellbeing, education and training, disability sports, and community cohesion, as well as providing facilities for grassroots football, sports participation, and events.
In addition, The Nest will become the new home for Norwich City Women FC.
Jackie Thornton, from the Community Sports Foundation said: “It’s an exciting day for us in our journey to build the second phase of The Nest, but our focus is still on raising the remaining funds we need to reach completion, which is now down to around £600,000.
“Once we have achieved that, with the incredible support of Norwich City Football Club’s match-funding, we will be able to make a huge difference to may different people in our area.”
Justin Buckingham, Construction Director of Cocksedge Building Contractors said: “We are delighted to have been selected to construct phase two of The Nest. It’s such an important project, bringing the local community together through sport, and one which we are proud to be delivering for the Community Sports Foundation.”
The second phase will add to the existing grass football pitches, bunk boxes and renovated clubhouse, which officially opened in September.
To view detailed plans for the site, and to find out how to support the Build The Nest campaign, visit www.thenest.org.uk and click Build The Nest. If you would like to use either the existing or planned facilities, please email the team at nest.info@canaries.co.uk.