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Nottingham Forest Community Trust is proud to mark ten years of the Forest Sports Zone, celebrating a decade of delivering sport, education, and wellbeing opportunities for communities across Nottingham.

Since opening in 2015 on the site of the original home of Nottingham Forest, following significant funding from The Football Foundation and other local partners, the Forest Sports Zone has become a vital community hub. It has engaged thousands of local people by providing a welcoming venue where community members can take part in sport and education activities that promote physical and mental health, confidence, and connection.

In the years leading up to its opening, there was a growing recognition across Nottingham of the need for a central hub that could bring people together through sport and shared activity. With communities increasingly seeking places to connect, be active, and take part in organised programmes, the vision for the Forest Sports Zone emerged as a way to unify this energy in one dedicated space.

It was developed to provide a focal point for schools, grassroots clubs, families, and local groups, creating a hub designed to strengthen community connection and expand opportunities across the city.

Boasting an average of 2,000 facility users per week, the site hosts a wide range of activities, including school tournaments, grassroots football, walking football, and children’s holiday clubs, and was even the venue for the Premier League’s media season launch in 2022 to mark Forest’s return to the top flight.

This milestone comes as the Community Trust looks to the future, following planning permission granted by Nottingham City Council earlier this year to kick off a £1.9 million redevelopment of the Forest Sports Zone. The project will transform the site into a modern, accessible facility designed to serve even more people across the city and beyond.

“Reaching ten years of the Forest Sports Zone is a testament to the positive role it has played in our community,” said Calum Osborne, Chief Executive Officer at Nottingham Forest Community Trust.

“It has provided a safe and inclusive space where people of all ages can connect and stay active. Over the years, we’ve seen young people build confidence, adults rediscover their love for sport, and families find a place where they feel safe and at home.

“The Forest Sports Zone has become much more than a place to play football, it’s a community anchor, a place where people feel they belong. With redevelopment plans now approved, we’re excited to build on that success and create a space that meets the needs of our community for the next decade and beyond.”

The redevelopment forms part of Nottingham Forest Community Trust’s long-term commitment to improving health and wellbeing across Nottinghamshire through the power of sport and community engagement.