Political opinion with Alison Bennett MP: A weekend of Mid Sussex sport

Last weekend was full of events showcasing some of the great sporting opportunities that we have across Mid Sussex.  On Saturday, I visited the Triangle to meet members of Burgess Hill Hockey Club at their launch event for the new season. It was a pleasure to speak with Kirstie, Sam and other club members about the team's achievements, their ambitions for the future and the challenges they face in securing adequate facilities. 

As someone who thoroughly enjoyed playing hockey myself, I know how important access to the right facilities is for players of all ages. Unlike some other sports, hockey can only be played competitively on a 2G artificial surface. Football clubs, by comparison, can make use of a wider range of pitches, including 2G (for juniors), 3G and 4G surfaces. This makes the availability of suitable hockey facilities particularly important. The club has been promised additional provision in the past, and I am keen to see those commitments delivered to enable further growth of the sport locally.  

Then, on Sunday morning, I attended the Greater Haywards Heath Bike Ride, which brought together hundreds of cyclists from across our area. Participants took on routes ranging from shorter family-friendly distances to demanding rides of up to 74 miles through the Mid Sussex countryside. 

Events of this scale require an enormous amount of planning and coordination, but they provide fantastic opportunities for people to get active, support good causes and enjoy being with their community. It was wonderful to see so many riders taking part and to witness the event continuing to grow year after year. I was especially pleased to spot my Liberal Democrat colleague and Haywards Heath Town Councillor, Mohtasem Billah, among the participants, who successfully completed a 20km cycling challenge. 

A huge thank you goes to everyone who helped make the event possible, from the organisers and volunteers to the sponsors and community groups that supported the day. The weather even played its part, with welcome sunshine appearing after several rainy days. It was a great way to start September and celebrate the sporting talent that Mid Sussex has to offer.