Students at Northwood-based UTC Heathrow have been burning off energy on a brand-new multi-sports court built on a previously inaccessible piece of land, thanks to funding from one of the school’s employer partners, CyrusOne – a leading global data centre developer and operator.
The court, designed and built by local companies Apt Architects and PhoenixME, will allow students to take part in a variety of sports including basketball, football, volleyball and badminton, using new sports equipment and kit. Previously there wasn’t an adequate space for the students to play these sports.
Matt Pullen, EVP Managing Director, Europe at CyrusOne (and former basketball player) explains why the company, which has been working with UTC Heathrow on an industry-first project, felt it wanted to invest in the sports court.
He said: “Having spent time at the UTC Heathrow over the last year, it struck me how few sporting facilities or outdoor recreation spaces there were on site for students.
“The positive benefits of exercise and outdoor space to improve concentration and focus on learning, as well as supporting mental health, are well documented and as such we felt a moral obligation to improve the facilities where we could for these talented and committed young people.”
The court was officially opened on Friday, October 7, which saw Mayor Councillor Becky Haggar and local MP David Simmons attend. This ceremony was followed by an impromptu basketball game.
Executive Principal Wayne Edwards commented: “Since September this year, this facility is constantly in use. The students love this – they absolutely do. And I can only say thank you to CyrusOne for that.
We are proud of the relationships we have built with employers and the way that this has now led to us being able to offer our students something they really needed. We have students here today excited to play and motivated to work together as part of a team.”
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