Two firms have rallied round to support a local football club and its dream of having its own ground.
Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School has offered long-standing support to Holmes Chapel Hurricanes by providing the football club with free use of its four grass pitches for the past 10 years.
The arrangement reflects the “strong relationship” between the school and the club, with around 15% of the Hurricanes’ 650-plus junior players being pupils at the school, said Tim Sheldon, chairman of Holmes Chapel Hurricanes.
On its part, the club has committed to helping improve the condition of the school pitches.
Sibelco has played a key role in the Hurricanes’ pitch improvement programme and, on three occasions in the past five years, has supplied top dressing sand for use across the four pitches.
Most recently, during the May half-term break, the company donated 200 tonnes of top-dressing sand. Following verti-draining (deep-tine aeration), the sand was spread across the pitches.
The club said it was looking forward to seeing the improvements in drainage and pitch quality this should bring.
Local haulage firm RG and ME Street and Son, based in Cranage, supported the project by transporting the sand from Sibelco’s Rudheath Lodge quarry at Allostock to the school free of charge.
Mr Sheldon said the Hurricanes were grateful for the continued backing.
“As a not-for-profit football club we have long been indebted to Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School for free use of the grass school pitches, and once again this year Sibelco has generously donated top quality sand to help improve the drainage and quality of these pitches,” he said.
“In the past the club has had to pay haulage costs for sand delivery, but RG and ME Street and Son kindly provided haulage free of charge.
“Thanks to the generosity of these local organisations, the club has more funds available for future club development, including having our own home.”
