About us
Established in 2002, London Maccabi Recreational Trust provides top quality sports and recreational facilities and opportunities for youth and the community – all set in a superb 50 acre setting in Arkley, Barnet. Facilities include seven full size football pitches, a floodlit all weather 3G football pitch (11-a-side or 3 7 a-side pitches), three tennis courts, two netball courts, a lawn bowls green, and one cricket pitch. The site is currently used by over 7,000 people each month, primarily between the ages of 3-18 years old.
Our Mission
To support the long term future of British Jewry by engaging and developing the entire community and especially young people in a broad range of Sporting, Educational, and Social activities, whilst actively promoting the centrality of Israel.
Our key objectives
To establish London Maccabi Sports Ground as the number one destination for the Jewish and local community and to provide a demand driven range of sporting, social and educational facilities and programmes.
Ultimately our goal is Jewish continuity. Through our facilities and activities we are bringing young Jewish people together to socialise and play sport, concentrating on laying the foundations for tomorrow’s community.
Our Values and Activities
We are a pluralistic organisation and encourage the whole of the Jewish and local community to use and take part in our increasing range of activities. We operate a social inclusion charter, and will invest in our community’s future by encouraging the widest possible participation at the Rowley Lane complex.
In addition to extensive use by our own sister football club, London Maccabi Lions and their 28 teams, we also have combined with our own sister cricket club London Maccabi Vale and their 3 teams including colts.
We currently offer our facilities to many other local community partners, both Jewish and non Jewish. For example, Totteridge Millhillians Cricket Club and the Rowley Lane Bowls Club use the site throughout the summer. London Maccabi is also the home ground of Arsenal Ladies’ F.C. junior sides (U10-U16s) and Reserves side, with matches and training taking place throughout the season.
We provide housing for the Noah’s Arkley Kindergarten five mornings a week throughout the year and our sports facilities are used on a regular basis, by Maccabi GB for many of its social events and activities and as a base for teams training for international events.
We run a highly successful School Holiday Camp for 5-11 year olds. We offer a choice of Football or ‘Active’. Football camp is run by our qualified coaches providing fun and innovative sessions for our young boys and girls aiming at ensuring that everyone plays with a smile on their face! Active, is a blend of non sporting activities, including arts and crafts, drama, dance, outdoor games and cookery.
We have a Function Suite that holds up to 150 people that can be used for weddings, barmitzvahs, birthday parties and children’s parties.
Development
We are fully committed to developing the facility ensuring we provide a unique experience for all of our users. Stage 1 of our development is now complete with the 3G football pitch being used since June 2009 and two new grass football pitches completed in October 2010. We are now in the fundraising process for a new clubhouse. We have obtained planning permission for a 20,000 sq ft building over two levels which will enable us to meet the demand from the community.
Funding
Funding is the key to any charity and we are no different. We are providing a positive environment for our young Jewish people to meet in a blend of sporting and social activities. These young people are our leaders of tomorrow and we need to invest in them today. There is no doubt that we are currently building the framework for a successful Jewish Community Sports Centre. There is a shared vision of engagement of young people whilst providing top quality sports facilities for the community. The long term development of the site will ensure that this is possible.
However we need funding to ensure that all our plans our realised, both from the community and the public sector over a sustained period of time. If we can all work together to do this, the community and its continuity will be stronger, and the future will be brighter for London and British Jewry’s youth.
