Upgrades at City Hockey Club to aid further development

July 17, 2019

£50,000 grant from local construction firm Mick George Ltd helps with Hockey Club development.

Project ‘Pitch 18’ at the City of Peterborough Hockey Club is now complete and although the official unveiling is not planned until a scheduled Open Day event on 14 July, the brand-new playing facilities at the Dalrod Sports Ground, Bretton Gate are already receiving some action.

Although funding for this project began back in May 2017, this £167,545 investment was certainly worth the wait for the 700 plus members associated with the Sports Club that will directly benefit from applying their skills on the new surface.

After nine-years use, the previously outdated artificial surface and existing shock pad has been upgraded with a newly installed, modern carpet that features FIH required makings.

While the current senior men’s, ladies and youth sections will undoubtedly profit from the new surface initially, it is envisaged that the modifications will allow more opportunity to engage local communities in different forms of hockey in the future – rush hockey, back to hockey, walking hockey.

The money for the project was secured courtesy of several gifts, loans, donations and business partnership arrangements. One of which was a £50,000 grant from local construction firm Mick George Ltd.

Jane Wilson, Secretary at the City of Peterborough Hockey Club, said: “It’s been a hugely exciting project for all connected with the Club, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity. The grant from the Mick George Community Fund has been invaluable in helping us complete the project in time for the new season in Sept 2019.”

With the men’s 1st XI competing in the England National East Conference, the Ladies 1st XI leading the way in the East Prem, and the remainder of the extensive list of teams all achieving respectively, one of the core focusses for the Hockey Club is to develop the younger talent into stars of the future.

Junior membership has doubled in the last two years and that trend is expected to continue with regional and county level junior coaching soon to be available from the venue.

Stuart Costello, Marketing Director at Mick George Ltd, commented: “The popularity of grassroots sport in our county is tremendous. We’re proud that we can play a part in nurturing local talent in a range of sporting disciplines with the financial assistance available through the Community Fund. Hockey is not something that we’ve had much interaction with historically, but that may change following this partnership.”