One of Bedford’s all- time great players, James along with guests from local schools and sporting organisations across the region, were at the University to celebrate the £5.1million investment by the University in student sport

Among the new facilities the guests viewed were:

• State of the art gyms
• An international standard hockey astro turf pitch and multi-use games area
• A 300 seat sporting arena
• A redeveloped grass playing space and pavilion

James expressed his admiration for the new facilities in a tweet following the event:

Once again thank you for having me down and taking me through a tour of your fantastic facilities. #worldclass https://t.co/98YPr3ZuBF

— James Pritchard (@JPritchard_21) March 16, 2016

Bill Rammell Vice Chancellor of the University said: “As a University we put the student experience as our highest priority and the new sports facilities that we are opening today are a real symbol of the multifaceted relationship between sport and the success of our students.”

The international standard astro turf pitch is a joint venture between local school Goldington Academy and the University.

Francis Galbraith Principal of Goldington Academy who also spoke at the launch of the new facilities said: ''It’s been a fantastic experience working with the University on our joint multi-use games area. The benefit for the different age students at both the University and Goldington Academy have been huge. Long may this collaboration continue!”

The guests were also able to see the University’s sporting prowess in action. The event took place on ‘Big Wednesday’, a hotly contested annual inter University competition, which saw the full range of the University’s sporting teams from football to netball to rugby to hockey competing, supported by its award-winning cheerleading squad.

The University places a high priority on sport, both in terms of studying; it offers a range of courses from the science and physiology of sport to sport management and journalism, and also in terms of the health and the well-being of its students and staff.

The Vice Chancellor explained: “At this university, we believe in making opportunities available to help people transform their lives.

“Active, healthy bodies feed active healthy minds, and so we invest in our sporting facilities to enable our students to be the best that they can be.”

The University is into its fifth year of its Get Into Sport programme funded through Sports England, enabling students and staff to try out a wide range of sport, free of charge, in a fun, non-competitive environment.

It also has in partnership with Badminton England and the Lawn Tennis Association a badminton higher education activator, university tennis ambassador and university tennis co-ordinator all aimed at developing these sports within the University.