Generous donations allow junior sports clubs to be top of their game

Date published: 03 June 2019

Six local sports clubs have purchased new kit and equipment to help their performance, thanks to a local sporting organisation.

The Rochdale Hornets Ex-players Association has donated hundreds of pounds to Rochdale Junior Squash Club, Queensway Boxing Club, Rochdale Judo Club, the Roch Valley Raiders BMX Club, Littleborough Girls U15s Rugby Union and Hamer Boxing Club.

Earlier this year, sports teams were invited to apply for funding.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/126374/sporting-organisation-looking-for-worthwhile-causes-to-benefit-from-donations

In a special buffet lunch at Bamford Bowling Club on Sunday 2 June, coaches and members of the clubs joined with the Ex-players Association to reveal what the donations had purchased:

• Rochdale Junior Squash Club has purchased several racquets and goggles
• Queensway Boxing Club has purchased tracksuit tops, t-shirts and competition vests
• Rochdale Judo Club has purchased lightweight judo suits, junior grappling dummies, student judo suits and a Rodney Ultimate Grappling Partner dummy
• Roch Valley Raiders BMX Club has entered two riders, Erin Jackson and Maddy Calvert, into the BMX World Championships in Belgium in July
• Littleborough Girls U15s Rugby Union has purchased new team jerseys
• Hamer Boxing Club has purchased 20 competition vests

The event was hosted by Malcolm Lord MC and included a speech from the State of Mind Sports charity’s co-founder and chairman, Malcolm Rae. State of Mind Sports aims to improve mental health in the sporting world.

Parents and coaches were also awarded a special 25th anniversary tie from the Rochdale Hornets Ex-players Association, presented by Maurice Scott, Tony Pratt, Malcolm Rae, David Marsh, Norman Short and Mick Baxter.

Mr Pratt said: “Thank you to all the clubs for turning up today. It is great to see the kids involved and we wish them all the very best in the future.

“When we have money spare through the Ex-players Association, we will always try and feed this down to junior section sport.”