Game on as The Queen’s School opens new astro pitch for students and Chester community
The Queen’s School in Chester has officially opened its new state-of-the-art astro pitch — part of a multi-million-pound investment in sport for students and the wider community.
The professional-grade facility, built beneath Chester’s historic Roman Walls, was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday 10th October. Headmistress Joanne Keville was joined by Chair of Governors Kirsty Whiteley and the Lord Mayor of Chester to officially open the pitch, which marks the start of a wider programme of investment in sport at the school.
Special guest Hollie Pearne-Webb, who famously scored the winning penalty for Team GB in the women’s hockey final at the Rio 2016 Olympics, attended the event and spoke about the lifelong value of sport and the importance of encouraging girls to get involved. She described the new facility as a “fantastic opportunity” to open up more access to sport for young people across Chester.
Headmistress Joanne Keville said the school’s ambition is for the new pitch to become a facility that benefits the whole city:
“Our vision is for the Astro to be a first-class sports facility in the heart of Chester, not just for Queen’s girls, but for the wider community. We want to help more young people engage with sport and an active lifestyle — and this is just the start of that journey.”
The new pitch, built using the same Tiger Turf surface used by England Hockey at its national training base, is floodlit for year-round use. It complements existing on-site facilities including tennis and netball courts, a sports hall and fitness studio.
The school has already launched a new programme for local primary schools and is working in partnership with Chester Hockey Club for training and fixtures, with further plans to involve more local schools, charities and community groups.
The opening also coincided with Hello Yellow Day, which highlights the importance of young people’s mental health. Ms Keville said sport has a key role to play in supporting wellbeing and building confidence.
Queen’s has a strong record in hockey, with teams competing at national level and players progressing to county and international representation. Former England international Martine Green, who leads the school’s coaching team alongside Scotland’s Craig Falconer, said the new pitch would be a game-changer:
“This new Astro will completely transform the intensity of our training and allow us to host more fixtures and events — it’s going to raise standards across the board.”
The launch event brought together pupils, families, staff and guests from across the city — celebrating what the school described as a “milestone moment” for sport in Chester.
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