Uttoxeter Rotary visits St. George’s Park
Members of Uttoxeter Rotary and their partners recently enjoyed a fascinating behind-the-scenes visit to St George’s Park, the home of England’s national football teams, at Needwood.
A group of 22 Rotarians and partners were given a guided tour of The FA’s Centre of Excellence, providing a unique insight into the facilities used by England’s international teams.
One of the highlights was meeting the Head Groundsman, who shared his considerable knowledge of the development and construction of the pitches at St George’s Park. We learned how pitch design and construction techniques have evolved in recent years and had the opportunity to inspect several newly constructed pitches, as well as hear about plans for future development.
The tour continued inside the Centre, including the indoor pitch, the only facility of its kind in the UK, together with the Sports Hall and the specialist treatment facilities available to players.
The evening concluded with a meal at The Boar’s Head in Sudbury, providing an opportunity to relax, enjoy good food and continue the fellowship that is such an important part of Rotary.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable and informative evening, giving our members a rare opportunity to see behind the scenes at one of the world’s leading football performance centres.
Our thanks to the team at St George’s Park for their warm welcome and for sharing their expertise with us.
