Former England midfielder Jill Scott MBE has taken on the President role as Fields in Trust celebrates its centenary year.
To mark her appointment, Jill joined schoolchildren in Gorton, Manchester for a kickabout, reflecting on her own journey and the vital role her local playfield in Sunderland played in sparking her love of sport when she was growing up.
From grassroots pitches to becoming one of the nation’s most loved sports personalities, her story shows the transformative power of accessible green spaces for young people.
But today, those spaces face an uncertain future as our nation’s green spaces face a significant threat and once they're gone, they're gone forever. Jill's powerful voice and lived experience highlight just how vital these spaces are for the physical and mental wellbeing of our communities.
“I’m honoured to become President of Fields in Trust at such a pivotal time,” she said. “My journey began on local pitches in Sunderland, and it was those community spaces that really enabled everything that followed. Without Roker Park on my doorstep, I wouldn’t have become an England footballer.
“But more than that, I’ve seen how sport and green spaces build confidence, friendships, and help young people discover what they’re capable of."
A long-time advocate for sport’s power to change lives, Jill’s commitment aligns with the growing national focus on creating opportunities for young people.
The growth in women’s and girls’ football since England hosted and won Euro 2022 has been extraordinary, thanks in part to Sport England investment, which helped create over half a million new playing opportunities and saw 129,000 more girls playing in schools. Yet these gains are at risk. As part of its new planning reforms, the Government recently proposed removing Sport England as a statutory consultee on planning decisions, weakening the protections that stop playing fields being lost to development.
Without these safeguards, thousands of pitches could be lost, undermining access to sport at the exact moment participation is thriving. With rising youth inactivity and a £7.4 billion cost to the economy each year, the stakes for our health, wellbeing and community cohesion have never been higher.
"I’m concerned that so many of these spaces have been lost already,” added Jill. “As President of Fields in Trust, I urge everyone to support and protect their local parks – to enjoy them, fight for them, and never take them for granted. Access to parks and green spaces should be seen as a right, not a privilege"
Taking over as president from HRH The Prince of Wales, who became our Patron in 2024, succeeding Her Majesty the late Queen Elizabeth II who was Patron for an incredible 70 years, Jill said "I have big shoes to fill and cant wait to get started!"
