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The Challenge

The recent pandemic has highlighted the importance of physical and mental wellbeing as key to promoting a healthy and rewarding existence and improving productivity.

BPT has been delivering exceptional results at the facilities at the Ethelred Estate despite the inadequacy of the offer:

BPT is working hard to find a solution to improve these facilities and have come up with a plan for how to make this possible.

Seizing The Opportunity

Reprovision on the current site operated by the BPT offers a once in a life time opportunity to :

Provide up to date, fit for purpose sustainable and accessible sports facilities, including basketball courts, gym, boxing ring, community hub, community café, associated changing rooms / showers etc.
Remove the external noise and light polluting football pitches and provide these indoors, allowing extended operational hours
Incorporate 2 local GP health surgeries who need to relocate / providing a new healthcare centre, pharmacy and community facilities to create an integrated health and wellbeing offer to the local community
Provide a sustainable basis and functional space for BPT’s work, including vital outreach to all sections of the community
Provide modern and affordable commercial office and flexible workspace to support local start-ups and businesses
Deliver much needed new, high quality, sustainable homes, including social and affordable homes
Improve safety and security on the Ethelred Estate
Provide additional and accessible public open space
Achieve all this with no recourse to stretched public or local authority resources

The Background

Established in 2011, The Black Prince Trust (BPT) is a Community Hub located in Kennington in Lambeth on part of the former Lillian Baylis School. The BPT strives to offer first-class sports, welfare and education facilities to the local community and schools and delivers a range of positive social impact measures defined in and measured under five Social Impact Strands. In conjunction with its partners, BPT offers free physical activity sessions for everyone aged 8-80 as well as a wide range of community programmes. The Hub is situated on 2.5 acres of land in the heart of the Ethelred Estate, home to almost 2,500 residents in one of the most deprived Boroughs in London.

These facilities, successfully run by BPT, are achieving exceptional results in improving the local community’s access to sport and educational opportunities, delivering on the better health and life skills agenda over many years. The Trust’s work is now under threat.

The potential delivery of social impact could, however, be significantly increased with new facilities. Such improvements would help BPT to provide better physical and mental health offerings, allowing local residents and neighbourhood groups to gain and develop vital skills needed both at work and in successful communities. Such services have never been more critical, particularly in the current context of increasingly pressured economic conditions and assist in recovering from the recent pandemic.