Wealden Community Sports Hub provides opportunities for women, girls and grassroots sport
Publish Date: 9 September 2026
The Wealden Community Sports Hub, which opened last month, will support 10 grassroot football clubs, as well as programmes for women and girls and older people to ensure that equal opportunities are given in sport.
The sports hub will support more than 130 teams, and at least 25% of peak-time football slots will be given to women and girls sport. There will also be three Women’s Flex-League football teams – Heathfield & Horam, Pevensey & Westham and Eastbourne based at the sports hub.
There will also be recreational social sessions for men and women via Football for All, Gals FC, ‘Keep Fitters’ over 30s group, and new development opportunities for girls through the Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation.
Other football clubs using the hub are:
- Heathfield & Horam
- Link Football Coaching Hellingly
- Hailsham United Juniors
- Pevensey & Westham
- Ticehurst
- Polegate Town
- AFC Uckfield Town
- Stone Cross Royals
- Eastbourne United Women’s Rec
- Eastbourne Wanderers
The site also provides other facilities which the community can use including, padel tennis courts, tennis, a café, a children’s play area and a skatepark. Padel can be booked through the Playtomic app.
For netball, Boost Netball will be using the hub two evenings a week and on Saturday mornings, as well as Eastbourne Netball League who will use the courts two evenings a week for juniors and adult sessions.
Councillor Kelvin Williams, Alliance for Wealden (Liberal Democrat) and lead councillor for Public Health and Asset Management, said, “The Wealden Community Sports Hub is about opening opportunities for everyone to enjoy sport, particularly those who may have faced barriers to taking part. By investing in facilities and creating more opportunities for women and girls, we can help reduce inequality in sport and give more people the chance to be active, develop their skills and feel part of a team in their community.”
Mark Coulson, Leisure United Chief Executive Officer, said, “Leisure United is delighted to be operating Wealden Community Sports Hub and to welcome the local community to this fantastic new facility. Our ambition is to create a hub where everyone feels welcome and has the opportunity to get active, whether that’s through grassroots football, netball, padel, and tennis.
“We’re particularly proud of the opportunities the Hub will create for women and girls. By working closely with local clubs, community organisations and partners, we want to make sure the facility is accessible, inclusive and genuinely reflects the needs of the Wealden community. We look forward to seeing the Hub supporting more people to enjoy being active, connect with others and thrive through sport.”
Further information:
Leisure United operates and manages the Wealden Community Sports Hub. It is one of the fastest-growing operators of community sports facilities in England which aims to change grassroots football for the better. Operating 19 high-quality, multi-sport hubs across the country as the wholly owned charity of The National Football Trust. Any profit generated from the site will be reinvested into the districts grassroot sports.
For more information about the Hub and how to contact Leisure United to enquire about availability, user registration and ways to enjoy the site, please visit here.
Wealden Community Sports Hub is located at New North Street, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 4GF.
The project has been funded by Wealden District Council (£13.2 million) alongside a £3.5 million grant from the Premier League, The FA and the government’s Football Foundation through the Football Foundation’s Hubs Programme.