Colchester United Community Sports Trust's Shrub End Community and Sports Centre has been selected for the semi-finals of the National Lottery Best Sports Project Award 2008, placing them in the top 10 projects in the country.

Shrub End Community and Sports Centre was developed next to a Colchester housing estate, creating a state-of-the-art facility which inspires pride in the local community.

Before the Centre was built, the location had been badly vandalised and was the site of a dilapidated sports pavilion and groundsman's flat.

Lottery funding helped to build the facility, and paid for a member of staff whose role it is to encourage local participation in sport and healthy activity.

The construction included two community halls, a study support centre, office space and a community physiotherapy suite as well as the first new football pitches constructed in the borough for many years.

Lottery funding also helped to build a floodlit synthetic pitch.

The centre has been used as a venue for community development, as well as sport and recreation.

The project is versatile and encompasses facilities for health and education, as well as many different sports. Organisers aim to deliver courses that appeal to all members of the community.

Chief Executive Steve Bradshaw says: "One of the key things is getting people out of their houses.

"We don't just want to drive up participation in sport, but also improve the quality of lives in many areas including education, health and community development."

To get to the televised final for the Best Sports Project, and ultimately to win, members of the public must vote via phone or via the National Lottery website, to register their support before the 4th July.

A vote for the Trust will be a vote for the work they undertake on a daily basis with thousands of children, young people and adults across the area, and a vote for your participation making us what they are today.

If you would like to vote for Shrub End Community and Sports Centre go to www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk

Or:-

Phone: 0845 386 3258 to register your vote (please ask permission if you are not the bill payer!)