ALL day use of the Old Trafford Sports Barn is now a reality, after Trafford Community Leisure Trust was awarded a grant of £15,270 by Barclays to fund new floodlights.

The grant has contributed towards the installation of new floodlights, which has helped to overcome problems with poor lighting and therefore allowed greater evening and winter use of the facility.

Additionally, the hard courts have been remarked, which can also be used for netball, and posts and nets installed allowing tennis to be played at the facility.

Bernie Jones, chief executive at the Trafford Community Leisure Trust, said, “We are delighted to once again receive support from Barclays, who not only funded the Sports Barn in the first place, but have continued to support the Trust operationally since the Sports Barn was opened in 2006.

“This latest grant has ensured that the quality of lighting meets the standards of the 3G pitch and the introduction of tennis has enabled us to market the facility to even more local people.

“Old Trafford Sports Barn has had a tremendous impact on the local community over the past eight years and this has only been possible as a result of the generosity of the Barclays Spaces for Sports programme.”

Funding will also be used to train new tennis coaches, who have helped establish tennis as a regular sport at the site, with a particular focus on getting more women and girls participating.

Kate Green, MP for Stretford and Urmston, added: “The Barclays grant will benefit the local community hugely, offering sporting opportunities even in the darker winter months.

“I am particularly pleased with the focus on trying to increase female participation in tennis as the site already does fantastic work on this in its other programmes.”