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15 June 2026  3 min read

#ProjectSwish: Barking Park court looking refreshed and reinvigorated

The full-court now sports an electric blue and black colourway, with a fully repaired surface and regulation FIBA line-markings, a new perimeter fence, plus brand new backboards with custom inserts and rings.

Funded by £45K from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and support from the Mayor of London, the court will be relaunched back to the local community on Saturday 20 June, with Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage & Leisure Cllr Simon Perry in attendance.

A basketball activation will accompany the launch with basketball sessions, games and skills demos running from 11am-2pm, forming part of the council’s ongoing efforts to support healthier, more active communities and increase opportunities for people of all ages to take part in sport.

Coaches from the NBA, Mayor of London and BE’s London Coaches Program will be putting on Slam Jam sessions for children aged 5-11, plus coaches and players from Barking Abbey Academy will also be present to inspire the borough’s next generation of basketball talent 

Registration for the Slam Jam session running from 11am-12pm must be completed in advance.

Register

Barking Park basketball court now has a striking electric blue and black colourway

Councillor Simon Perry, Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage and Leisure, said:

"We're delighted with this investment in basketball at Barking Park.

"Thanks to the UK Shared Prosperity funding, local people now have a high-quality court to enjoy, and I hope that it will encourage more people to get active and give basketball a try. I would encourage everyone to come along to the open day, see it for themselves, and give it a go."

Basketball England contributed to the project through its #ProjectSwish campaign – which is helping to transform England’s run-down basketball courts into assets for people to enjoy playing basketball – by fully funding the upgrades to the baskets, as well as providing technical guidance and specifications throughout.

BE Outdoor Projects Lead Toby Wilkinson said:

"We are delighted to collaborate with Barking and Dagenham Council on the latest #ProjectSwish renovation, in a highly-popular borough for basketball.

"The finished court is a real asset to the local community, providing a safe and accessible facility where basketball can be enjoyed by all. We look forward to seeing the sport grow in the area and hope to work with the council to regenerate further courts in the near future."

Register for Slam Jam at Barking Park

#ProjectSwish