Mitcham MUGA

Clarion Futures Communities, the charitable foundation within Clarion Housing Group, is funding a Community Ambassador Programme, our flagship youth social-action programme, in Merton. The programme will be centred around the Sadler Close Estate and aims to recruit up to 12 local young people aged 11-25 who will form a group that will lead on a project to ‘uplift’ to the existing MUGA (basketball/football court) on Sadler Close Estate. Workshops, training and support will be provided to the young people to enable them to deliver the project.

POoR Collective have a proven track record in delivering projects with young people to improve urban play and public spaces. The uplift is not about replacing the existing equipment, but enhancing the area through design, art, and community participation to create a space that Sadler residents can be proud of and want to utilise. When the uplift is complete Clarion Futures will fund a series of free-to-access coach led sports sessions (e.g. basketball, netball, football and other sports appropriate for the space) for children and young people from Sadler Close Estate and surrounding areas. The programme commenced in March 2023 and will run to August 2024 culminating in a ‘community build day’ and celebration event – dates for these events are to be confirmed.

We are currently at the recruitment and engagement stage of the project and will be engaging with Sadler residents and the wider community to; recruit local young people to the programme, obtain residents and the wider communities views and ideas about the design and, identify any residents of any age that would like to participate in the ‘community build day’ which will see the resident led design come to life. All residents will be welcome at the celebration event.