Local charities receive a boost from Rochdale AFC

Date published: 12/01/2007

Three local charities received a boost this week after collecting cheques for over £1600 from Rochdale AFC.

The Football Association kindly donates a share of the proceeds of the Community Shield match, the season’s curtain raiser to clubs throughout the country, thus enabling local charities to benefit.

This year the three recipients are Rochdale Gateway Leisure, Springhill Hospice and Syke Community Base.

Development worker Graeme Hill from Rochdale Gateway Leisure said: "We would like to thank Rochdale AFC and the FA for the kind donation.  It will go along way in helping us provide sports activities for disabled people during the summer.

"We cannot usually provide the facility because of funding and everyone is delighted we can do it now, they are really looking forward it."

Springhill Hospice’s fund raising manager Ian Jenkins was equally pleased with the Hospices’ share especially with such high running costs at Springhill.  He said: "Currently costs are running at around £5000 a day to run the hospice and fund raising is a vital part of our operation.  We are very grateful for the wonderful donation and our thanks goes to the F.A. and the football club."

Hayley Conlon, Assistant Manager of Syke Community Base having received their cheque explained just where their share will go to. She said: "We have just set up a new football team and offer coaching sessions for Syke’s youth.  It’s not very often someone rings out of the blue and offers to give you money and we are delighted with what is our first ever donation."

Football coach Sean Matthews who runs the sessions said: "A lot of the kids usually end up hanging around on street corners and getting into trouble.  We offer them something to do that is great fun and everyone who comes along thoroughly enjoys it.

"We have now set up a team to play on Saturday afternoon’s and we will use the donation to help us in the overall running costs.

"There are a lot of good kids out there who might get mixed up in the wrong things because they are bored or have nothing to do, well now they have.  Our sessions have an emphasis on fun, team building as well as playing football and I to would like to express my thanks to all concerned."