Chairman John Madejski, Greg Halford and Simon Cox were at the AcademySport Leisure Centre in Whitley for the official opening of the completed site on behalf of Barclays Spaces for Sports.

Stars from other sports were also at the opening, including England cricketer Darren Gough. Click the image above for a larger version.

Following a £600,000 cash injection from Barclays and the Football Foundation, there has been extensive refurbishment to the existing sports hall, changing rooms and dance studio and installation of a new fitness suite.

The site, just two miles from Madejski Stadium, is part of a larger development providing a range of activities for the local community, including football, basketball, volleyball, dance, aerobics, gym-based activities and badminton.

With the backing of Reading FC the site is part of a £30million investment from the Barclays Spaces for Sports initiative to create sustainable sports facilities across the UK. The Reading project will receive a further £45,000 from Barclays to ensure the sustainability of the site plus kit and equipment worth £5,000.

Since the announcement of the scheme in September 2004, Barclays Spaces for Sports has opened more than 130 sites and awarded more than 2,900 coaching packs to local communities up and down the country, giving over 360,000 disadvantaged people the opportunity to benefit from sport.

Greg Halford said, "I think it's great that the Club is supporting Barclays Spaces for Sports with the creation of these new facilities. Lots of people locally now have the opportunity to try new sports and it may help find some stars of the future."

Alastair Camp, Corporate Responsibility Director at Barclays, said, "Barclays believes that sport has a key role to play in revitalising our communities and sites like this one in Reading are central to this. The new site will make sport more accessible and encourage a new wave of participants to enjoy the facilities on offer."

Sir David Richards, Chairman of the Football Foundation and Premier League, added his support. "It is essential for the future of sport and the health of our nation that all communities have access to the kind of modern grassroots facilities that are on display at AcademySport.

"This outstanding new development offers a host of new sporting opportunities for communities in and around the area, regardless of age, ability or gender," he said.

Catherine Shaw, Principal at The John Madejski Academy, said: "The investment from all partners has provided a first rate facility for the whole community. It will become a training area for our young sports stars and is now better equipped to meet everyone's needs. We hope more and more local residents will make use of the centre and benefit from the new facilities and programmes on offer."

Catherine Wilton, Lead Councillor for Culture and Sport at Reading Borough Council, said: "It is fantastic to see this facility come to fruition and I'm particularly delighted about the community facilities on offer for local sport enthusiasts.

"This is something that Reading Borough Council, in partnership with both the Academy and Barclays, have been striving for. Young people particularly need to get actively involved in sport and this new with its high quality sports and leisure facilities will certainly help."

Barclays Spaces for Sports, a partnership between Barclays, the Football Foundation and Groundwork, will create further sports sites for local communities and continues to provide kit and equipment for groups across the UK.