Swindon Hockey Club has scored a £1,350 donation from the Wichelstowe LLP Community Fund, reinforcing the company’s ongoing commitment to support grassroots sports in the local area.
The latest funding will enable the club to purchase much-needed equipment, including weighted blue hockey nets, mini goals, hockey balls and kit. It follows Wichelstowe LLP’s previous £2,200 donation during the 2019/20 season to help the club install dugouts.
Swindon Hockey Club, which trains and plays its home matches at The Deanery Academy, has grown significantly over the past five years. The club now boasts four men’s teams, three ladies’ teams, as well as mixed and veteran teams. The men’s first team competes in the Championship of the West League, while the ladies’ first team plays in the Premier League. Last season, the ladies’ first team were runners-up in the National Two-Tier final at the Lee Valley Hockey Centre, home of GB Hockey.
The club keeps training costs low to encourage as many children as possible to take up the sport and prides itself on making hockey accessible to all ages, with a thriving junior and youth section of around 100 players aged between five and 16. Many of these juniors come from local Wichelstowe schools and progress to adult teams, with some even playing at the county level for Wiltshire. Four of the club’s young players are currently part of the prestigious England Pathway Talent Academy.
Sam Dharmasiri, Swindon Hockey Club’s chairman, highlighted the impact of the donation: “We’re incredibly grateful to Wichelstowe LLP for their ongoing support. This funding has allowed us to invest in essential equipment that will benefit players of all ages. As our club continues to expand, this kind of support is invaluable in helping us attract and nurture new talent.”
Daniel Pavely, project director-Wichelstowe, added: “Wichelstowe LLP remains committed to invest in community initiatives that promote sports and wellbeing, ensuring local clubs like Swindon Hockey Club can continue to provide opportunities for players of all ages and abilities. The club plays an essential role in providing young people with opportunities to engage in sport, develop their skills, and be part of a fantastic community. We look forward to seeing it continue to grow and thrive.”
The Wichelstowe development is being built by Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes in partnership with Swindon Borough Council which will deliver 3,000 new homes along with new schools and community facilities over 20 years. The 250-hectare site on the southern edge of Swindon will include extensive open spaces, nature conservation areas, playing pitches and allotments.
As part of this neighbourhood residents can enjoy 12km of new nature trails, play areas, 200 acres of open space and walks along the Wilts and Berks canal. There’s also a range of schools for children of all ages within easy reach. Junction 16 of the M4 and Swindon train station are both within a ten-minute drive, providing easy access to Bristol and London.
Barratt David Wilson Homes South West will launch a new phase at Canalside in early 2025 and potential buyers can register at www.dwh.co.uk soon while Barratt Homes Bristol have unveiled a new phase at Wichel Fields. For more information visit www.barratthomes.co.uk.
More details about other new homes at Wichelstowe can be found at Orchards Rise or Orchards View. For more information on Swindon Hockey Club and how to get involved, visit www.swindonhockeyclub.com.
