Ashington's sporting sons back leisure centre campaign

Posted by The Journal on Feb 9, 10 03:17 PM in News

Famous sporting sons of Ashington are backing a campaign to safeguard facilities for the next generation.

Ashes-winning Test ace Steve Harmison, his cricketing brother Ben, World Cup-winning footballer Jack Charlton and top golfer Kenneth Ferrie are all fighting for the town to remain as a breeding ground for sporting heroes of the future.

Steve (right) and Ben Harmison chat to Pat Mullen of Stakeford

Steve (right) and Ben Harmison chat to Pat Mullen of Stakeford

They are all supporting a community-based campaign aimed at ensuring the town does not lose its only sports and leisure centre to the threat of council budget cuts.

Yesterday, Steve and Durham all-rounder Ben mingled with fitness enthusiasts in the centre's state-of-the art gym as campaigners stepped up their demands for major new investment to safeguard its future.

Steve, who has trained in the Institute Road gym throughout his professional career and whose three children use the centre's swimming pool and other facilities, said he was aware of the tough economic conditions and was not condemning the county council for seeking budget cuts, but claimed it would be a 'devastating' blow for the town if the centre was axed.

"This is a plea more than anything else from a sports person that a facility like this should be kept open," he said.

"With the sporting heritage which Ashington has in football, cricket and golf, to close this sports centre would be a very difficult thing for sports people to take.

"Jack Charlton and Kenneth Ferrie are also backing this bid to ask the council to re-think the decision. It is as much for the kids of Ashington as anything else, and this whole campaign shows what support is in the town and how people want to keep this place open."

Ben said: "Keeping this centre is a massive thing for Ashington. You could not imagine the town without it, because where would all the kids go."

Jack Charlton, who along with World Cup winning brother Bobby was born and grew up in the town, said: "I support the campaign to keep the leisure centre open because it provides a tremendous range of facilities for both young and old in the community.

"Sport is part of the culture of Ashington and it is unthinkable to consider such a town without a leisure centre providing a wide range of sporting and leisure opportunities."

Under original budget plans by the county council, a withdrawal of ÃÂ£155,000 in funding would have seen the centre close later this year. After a storm of protest the authority agreed to keep it open for a year - but there are still serious doubts over its long-term future because of the state of the building.

Yesterday campaign co-ordinator and Labour town councillor, John McCormack, said: "The people of Ashington have made it absolutely clear they are not prepared to see the leisure centre closed.

"What we want to see is the same level of investment and commitment to the Ashington centre as has been shown to the rest of the county, and we will not accept anything less."

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