Olympic Legacy Money will help Londoners Reach New Heights

March 04, 2011

New Bouldering Wall funded by Boris Johnson's Olympic Legacy fund opened at Westway Climbing Centre

New investment for Westway Climbing Centre is a positive for the team that is nurturing Britain’s best ever junior climbers and helping them reach European championships.

Kate Hoey, the Mayor’s Commissioner for Sport opened the new bouldering wall at Westway Climbing Centre on Tuesday 1st February.

Westway was awarded £42,000 by Boris Johnson to replace one of its bouldering walls, with the work funded through the Playsport London Facilities Fund

At the opening Kate Hoey said: "The opening of this bouldering wall is just the latest example of us delivering on our commitment to a genuine grass roots sporting legacy from London 2012.

"Westway Development Trust is a wonderful organisation that has, over the years, brought so much opportunity to the local area.

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"It is a pleasure to be working in partnership with them to bring the great joy of climbing to many more Londoners of all ages."

The Westway centre was one of 13 sports projects around the capital to be given a share of the £1.2m funding from the Mayor of London.

Westway Climbing Centre currently trains many members of the national junior British climbing team and has produced Britain’s most successful ever climber at European level, Kitty Wallace

Kitty is funded through the Centre’s charitable bursary scheme which supports local young people enabling them to realise their sporting potential.

Kitty’s story is typical of what Westway delivers through its unique approach to junior access and development.

Westway quite simply introduces more new climbers to the sport than any other Centre both at Junior and Adult level .

It is the only Centre in the country which operates on social enterprise principles dedicated to access for all, with a team of instructors who are committed to working with all groups in the local community spanning local young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, people with disabilities and those rehabilitating after serious injury.

Westway Climbing Centre is England’s leading Climbing Centre and runs the country’s most successful junior development programme. The Centre trains hundreds of local young people every week and works closely with local schools and colleges as well as running its own extensive development programme for local young people focusing on disadvantaged groups and supporting those most in need financially through a dedicated charitable bursary scheme to allow them to reach their sporting potential, or simply to participate, have fun and stay fit.

At the event local kids were keen to try out the new wall: