NOW Skipton's new Community Sports Hub is nearing completion a crowdfunding appeal has been launched to raise the £20,000 needed to kit it out.

The project organisers have 28 days to raise the money which will be used to furnish the main social space and bar area at the new hub at Sandylands Sports Centre.

With Sport England already pledging £8,000 towards what is needed, organisers are hopeful of hitting the target.

Malcolm Birks, chairman of the Skipton Community Sports Hub, said he hoped people would give what they could to ensure the most could be made of the hub. 

He said: “Watching the building go up over the summer months has been really exciting and we’re now within touching distance of delivering a fantastic community sports facility for Skipton and its surrounding areas.

“We do though need a final push to get over the line, and while £20,000 may seem a lot to raise in just 28-days, Sport England has pledged £8,000 already and so we’re nearly halfway there already."

The £20,000 is needed to buy furniture and kitchen equipment.

Mr Birks added: "I do hope people can take the time to find out a bit more about the Hub and what it’ll do for the town and provide whatever support they can give – every little bit helps.”

The Skipton Community Sports Hub is a joint project by Skipton Juniors FC and Skipton Cricket Club, which between them support the sporting activities of around 600 children and young people from the area.

The new 3,500 sq ft building is being built on the site of the cricket club's former clubhouse.

Costing £750,000, it has been funded through grants from the Premier League, FA and Government via the Football Foundation; the England and Wales Cricket Trust (EWCT) and the former Craven District Council through the Section 106 agreement with Yorkshire Housing for its Burnside, Skipton housing development.

Local fundraisers also helped raised in excess of £15,000 for the project during 2022, with activities including bag packing at supermarkets.

Once complete, the facility will serve the wider Skipton community; with the Hub expected to host various community groups and clubs, as well as being the focal point for a wide variety of sporting activities. The building has been designed by local architects and rural development consultants, Rural Solutions and construction managed by S Simmonite General Contractors.

To access the Crowdfunding campaign visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/skipton-community-sports-hub---community-space.

To find out more about the project visit www.skiptonsportshub.co.uk