Lancashire County Council are selling the old Habergam and Ivy Bank Schools and the green space surrounding it. This space is currently utilised by Rosegrove Tate Oil FC and there is a danger that it will be turned into a residential development. Rosegrove FC was established in 2011 by a group of parents who were struggling to find anywhere for their children to play grassroots football. Since then the club has gone from strength to strength, receiving the prestigious Charter Standard within the first 12 months and expanding in line with the demand from children in the community of Rosegrove and Lowerhouse of all ages to play football. Recently the club merged with another local children’s football club Tate Oil, enabling our voluntary coaches to expand the first-class fun coaching sessions to even more local children. Rosegrove Tate Oil FC now offers football training to nearly 200 local children, ranging in ages from three to thirteen years old. The facilities at Habergam playing fields are perfect for our club, offering enough space to enable the pitches to be marked out for the various sizes needed for each of our teams. Furthermore, the site offers safe parking and the pavilion allows us to store all our equipment safely, offer refreshments for children and their parents and provide toilet and changing facilities. The playing fields at Habergam are at the heart of our community, the children who are part of our club all come from the area and there is nowhere else nearby that offers the space and facilities that we enjoy so much here. To take this open space away from the community would result in our club having to relocate, resulting in many children whose parents do not drive being unable to access training and matches. This would cause segregation and break their hearts as the children do not simply “train” with us; they are part of a community where they play with their friends, near their home and learn social skills, confidence, tolerance and most importantly fun in a safe, familiar environment that is perfect for their needs.