Croydon Comes Together to Celebrate the Opening of Oasis Arena Community Space
This week has been one to remember for the Oasis family in Croydon. On Monday, 13th October, we opened the doors to our brand-new Oasis Community Space at Oasis Academy Arena - a vibrant, welcoming space designed to bring local families, young people, and community partners together under one roof.
And as if that wasn’t enough to celebrate, Croydon was still buzzing from Crystal Palace FC’s historic FA Cup victory— making it a perfect moment to recognise all that can be achieved when communities unite around hope, pride, and purpose.
A New Space for the Whole Community
The new community space sits at the heart of Oasis Academy Arena and has been created as a place for young people and families to connect, grow, and belong. It will host a wide range of programmes and activities in partnership with Palace for Life Foundation - the official charity of Crystal Palace FC - and Reaching Higher, a local youth charity making a huge difference in the borough.
Guests at the launch were treated to a beautiful performance by the Oasis Academy Ryelands choir, before Natasha Irons MP for Croydon East took to the stage. She celebrated the importance of creating opportunities that extend beyond the classroom:
“We’re so lucky to have such a wonderful community facility right on our doorstep. There’s no plan more important or more long term than looking after our young people and strengthening what they do in and outside of school.”
Partnership in Action
The event featured inspiring words from Rev. Steve Chalke MBE, Founder of Oasis, and Mike Summers, CEO of the Palace for Life Foundation. Both spoke about the power of partnership in helping young people thrive.
“Our children spend less than 20% of their waking hours in school,” said Rev. Steve Chalke. “That’s why spaces like this — safe, local, and led by trusted partners — are so important. Communities know their children best, and together we can help every child fulfil their potential.”
Mike Summers added:
“This space gives us the chance to deepen our partnership with Oasis - from Premier League Kicks sessions to mentoring and education programmes. Together we can help young people from the toughest backgrounds to build brighter futures.”
A Celebration of Belonging
Throughout the afternoon, families joined in table tennis with Palace coaches, arts and crafts sessions, and a community prize draw hosted by former Crystal Palace player Sean Scannell, who also cut the ribbon on the new entrance.
Prizes included a football signed by the Palace Men’s Team - featuring Croydon-born star Eberechi Eze - and tickets to see the Palace Women’s Team play.
The celebrations continued the next day when the FA Cup and Community Shield trophies made a special visit to the Academy, giving students the chance to relive Palace’s thrilling 1–0 FA Cup win over Manchester City and their Community Shield victory over Liverpool.
Building a Village Around Young People
Jeanette Bell, Principal of Oasis Academy Arena, summed up the spirit of the day perfectly:
“This week shows what’s possible when schools and communities come together. Our new community space will help more young people discover what makes this place special — Croydon’s best kept secret. Together with partners like Reaching Higher and Palace for Life, we’re helping our young people grow into confident, capable, thriving adults.”
Since late 2024, Palace for Life has been delivering weekly football sessions, mentoring, and education support at Arena. Now, with the new Oasis Community Space open, those opportunities are set to grow — giving even more local families a reason to believe that Croydon’s future is bright.
💜 The Oasis Arena Community Space is now open for bookings and drop-in sessions.
To find out more, visit www.oasis-ashburtonpark.org or follow @OasisAshburtonPark on social media.