Free taster sessions for both adults and juniors

The council’s flagship sports complex at Barn Elms will be looking to rekindle the Olympic spirit with a special beach volleyball open day next weekend.

The riverside sports arena now boasts four beach volleyball courts that were created using 1,000 tonnes of sand from last summer’s Olympic venue in Horseguards Parade.

Wandsworth was able to secure the sand to provide a long-lasting Olympic legacy for the borough, as part of a £45,000 project funded by Volleyball England and Sport England.

And as part of the borough’s efforts to support a lasting Olympic legacy, an open day is being held at Barn Elms on Saturday, April 20 when aspiring Olympians will be able to try out the sport and test their volleyball skills.

Free taster sessions for both adults and juniors will be run between 10am and 2pm and there will be music and a barbecue to add to the atmosphere.

And from Saturday, April 27, organised sessions will be taking place every week for those who want to take up the sport in earnest. Junior classes will be at 11am every Saturday and cost £4, while adult sessions will start at midday and cost £6 per person.

When volleyball is not being played the courts are also available for other similar sports events like beach soccer, tag rugby, beach ultimate frisbee and footvolley.

The council’s spokesman on sport and leisure Cllr Jonathan Cook said:
“We were lucky enough to secure this sand from the beach volleyball venue at Horseguards Parade and we are now hoping to build on the great sporting achievements of last summer to secure a fantastic Olympic legacy for Wandsworth.

“Barn Elms is already a superb sports venue with really excellent facilities. By adding this exciting Olympic sport, we are making it even better.”

The 52 acre riverside venue at Barn Elms provides a diverse range of sports and leisure activities for local people and schools. It offers a number of grass pitches for rugby, football, cricket, aussie rules and rounders as well as specialist facilities such as archery, athletics, field events, a gym and boathouse for rowing. It also has artificial surfaces offering tennis, netball and hockey.

For more information about this top quality sports venue visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/barnelms. To find out more about the beach volleyball open day, the regular sessions that will follow or indeed any other sport at the centre, call (020) 8876 9873 or email barnelms@wandsworth.gov.uk.

April 11, 2013