How the volunteers of Mumbles Community Association fought to offer the people of Mumbles a state-of-the-art sporting and community hub
In 2011, a group of volunteers set out with the mission of transforming Underhill Park into a premier sporting facility and community hub for the people of Mumbles. What came next was the fantastic work of Welsh Sports Association (WSA) member Mumbles Community Association (MCA) and the small team at Go Underhill to realise this vision.
Formerly a park consisting of exclusively weather-threatened grass sports pitches and a changing room built in World War II, Underhill Park now presents a modern, accessible, and attractive community hub and cafe, state-of-the-art changing facilities, including separate facilities for the disabled, and an all-weather sports field to accompany its grass pitches.
It was a renovation over a decade in the making, and did not happen without its challenges.
The volunteers at MCA – who are nominated in the all-new Best Growth Award category at the 2025 WSA Sports Industry Awards – originally set out with the intention of sourcing funding for a new community facility, with the idea of fresh changing rooms and an all-weather playing facility to add to their offering for the local community.
The group of volunteers worked tirelessly, often meeting more than once a month to identify and access pots of funding opportunities to get the ball rolling. After public consultations, endless meetings with the local authorities, and the legal minefield of regulations, the group were ready to go, having done amazingly to raise £2.2m.
The Trustees battled to source this funding from a whole range of organisations, including the likes of The National Lottery, Welsh Government, a Sport Wales Collaboration Group including the Welsh Rugby Union, the Cymru Football Foundation, Swansea Council and Mumbles Community Council, to name a few.
However, then came the COVID-19 pandemic and, in due course, increased costs, to see the project through.
The consequence of the two-year delay to construction was a cost increase of over 50%, up to
£3.2m. Undeterred, MCA Trustees managed to add to the original funding by engaging with local businesses, whose incredible support allowed MCA to reach the required amount.
In the summer of 2023, the community hub and café and the changing rooms opened to the public, and a few months later, the all-weather pitch opened for use.
Since then, the impact has been astronomical.
From surging membership in the rugby and football clubs based at Underhill Park, to large-scale community events and inclusive fitness sessions, the effort of the MCA Trustees over this near decade process to transform the park has been crucial to the community of Mumbles.
An invigorated feel around the park has seen huge successes such as festivals and tournaments come to the park, most notably a celebratory funday to mark the anniversary of the hub’s opening, to which over 500 people came and took part.
And while the community hub and cafe facility has provided a safe and friendly space for local people, hosted events itself, and physical activity sessions such as yoga and mother-and baby classes, the updated sporting setting has also attracted new people to partake in physical activity and allowed the park to offer sessions all-year round and more regularly.
“The Trustees of Mumbles Community Association are very proud of what we have achieved for the community of Mumbles,” commented MCA Trustee Martin Rodwell.
“The challenges to get the project over the line have been immense but our determination to give the public a facility that everyone can enjoy has been the one thing that has driven us on.”
Membership with both clubs has risen sharply since the opening of the all-weather pitch and changing rooms, and crucially, the updated facilities have attracted many women and girls to sports activities.
Both clubs now boast extensive youth networks and numerous women’s teams, with a total of around 45 individual teams training on the all-weather pitch each week across both clubs. With the facilities now available, local club Newton AFC have also be able to train and play matches on the new multi-sport, all-weather facility.
It has revolutionised the park’s offering; in addition to allowing the clubs to engage upwards of 1100 players on a continuous basis, the all-weather pitch means local communities have access to physical activity and leisure sessions all the time – without the threat of the torn up or waterlogged pitches that would so often lead to postponed fixtures.
The Trustees of not-for-profit organisation MCA, for example, have collaborated with fellow WSA member MyRounders to provide rounders sessions, jumping on an ever-growing wave across south Wales.
“The hard work does not stop there,” exclaimed Martin.
“We are determined that this facility will form a legacy that will serve future generations, and we will continue to try and improve the facilities even more, provided funding opportunities are available.
“As our moto at Go Underhill says, ‘By the community for the everyone’!”
Now being able to offer social sporting sessions, in addition to training and matches, has seen hundreds come and take part in physical activity on a regular basis.
The MCA are looking to capitalise on the facility’s growth and engagement, as well. Cricket will soon be back at Underhill Park, courtesy of a Sport Wales Be Active Wales Grant and the generous support of a local business, with a particular focus of meeting the upsurge in demand of women’s and girls’ cricket.
While it did not go without its significant challenges, the £3.2m raised and invested by the Trustees of MCA has developed a significant facility which the whole community can enjoy, and which is actively encouraging more and more people to get active.
Learn more about the fantastic work and the amazing facilities of Underhill Park here!
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