Islington's leisure chief shows she won't 'shirt' her responsibilities – as football legend Dennis Bergkamp officially opens a state-of-the art sports pitch. <br><br>The Arsenal star dropped into Elthorne Park, N19, to unveil the facility for local children. He was joined by fellow Dutch legend Johan Cruyff. <br><br>Bergkamp, through his testimonial game, donated £75,000 to the Cruyff Foundation towards the cost of the new court, as a thank you to the local community for supporting his career at Arsenal. <br><br>The remainder of the cost was funded by Islington Council. <br><br>Cllr Ruth Polling, Islington Council's Executive Member for Leisure, said: "Sport makes such a huge difference to young people's lives and this new pitch is a great boost to our burgeoning leisure facilities in Islington. <br><br>"We're investing millions in better sports provision and we want to use the forthcoming 2012 Games to inspire everyone in the borough to become more active."<br><br>Speaking ahead of the event, Dennis Bergkamp said: "It's with real pleasure that I return to north London to see the completed pitch and officially unveil a lasting legacy of my time with Arsenal Football Club. <br><br>"I have countless happy memories of my time with the Gunners and much of that is down to the fans and the local community of Arsenal, so it's my way of honouring them and thanking them for their support. <br><br>"I hope this Cruyff court bearing my name can bring as much joy to the youngsters playing football as I had when I played."<br><br>Johan Cruyff, Founder of the Johan Cruyff Foundation, added: "This is the first Cruyff Court to be opened in the UK, so this is a special day for us. <br><br>"We're delighted to be working in partnership with Arsenal in the Community to ensure as many young people in the locality can access the court and play football led by experienced coaches."<br><br>Thanks to the Arsenal Kickz project, a programme that brings together the football industry with police and other partners to help young people realise their potential, the pitch is available pre-booked and is free for young people of the local area. <br><br>Arsenal in the Community runs its regular Kickz sessions four times a week at Elthorne Park.<br><br>ENDS <br><br>For more information please call Chris Weeks on 020 7527 3032 <br><br>PICTURE CAPTION: (L-R) Dennis Bergkamp, Cllr Ruth Polling, Johan Cruyff
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009