A new full-length, Sport England compliant, long jump facility has been installed at Millom School as part of the town’s wider regeneration project.
Linking in with the building of the Town Deal funded Community Leisure Centre, the main contractor - Thomas Armstrong - has relocated and installed a long jump facility for the benefit of the school and community.
The previous facility was moved for the leisure centre's construction, and the new one is now next to the Millom Community track.
The new long jump will be used by students during school hours and be open to the community outside of school times in line with the operating arrangements for the Millom Community Track.
In celebration, Millom Striders Running Club hosted a special coaching session on Tuesday 22 July for juniors aged 8 - 16 years old, led by English Athletics National Jump Coach, Carl Foster.
David Savage, Chair of the Millom Town Deal Board, said:
“Millom Town Deal Board is proud to offer this new sports facility to the community in advance of the forthcoming leisure centre. This is the first of many social value outcomes that will be delivered through out Social Value Impact Plan, and we have no doubt will add value to the growing sporting facilities in the Millom area.”
Social value refers to the additional positive effects a project contributes to a community. These may include benefits such as job creation, enhancing community engagement, or offering opportunities for education and skills development, recreation and health and wellbeing.
In the case of Millom and the long jump, the contractor has provided the long jump at no cost, aiming to support the positive outcomes of the Activating Health Project.
Philip Hoyles, Regional Director at Thomas Armstrong, said:
“We are delighted to provide this asset for the community as part of our Social Value offer, to use early in the project and build upon the recently resurfaced 3G pitch already used by the school and community.”
This new facility aligns with Thomas Armstrong’s commitment to delivering added value alongside construction - following their successful refurbishment of the all‑weather 3G pitch earlier in the Town Deal programme.
It underpins Cumberland Council’s “Activating Community Health” objectives under the Millom Town Deal, a £20.6 million initiative funded by Town Deal, NDA, CGP Books, Copeland Community Fund, Copeland Development Fund, Millom School and Millom Town Council.
Leader of Cumberland Council, Cllr Mark Fryer, added:
“The Millom Town Deal Activating Community Health project will deliver a new leisure and community hub at Millom School, including a swimming pool, sports hall, gym, fitness studio, and 3G pitch to help improve local health and wellbeing. The 3G Pitch is now open for business and is available for community use.
“The new long jump facility is an added bonus and it is great to hear of it being used already.”
Photo credit: Stuart Walker