A team of young players at Stafford Town Football Club have new kit to wear thanks to sponsorship by a local homebuilder.
Vistry Group, Britain’s biggest housebuilder, which is building new homes under its Bovis Homes and Linden Homes brands at Partridge Walk in Stafford, donated £594.79 to the club for 10 full kits and winter jackets for the U9 Panthers team.
Team manager (admin) Jan Griffiths said donations such as this make a big difference to the club.
He said: “Without sponsorship, teams would struggle to fund themselves. Parents already pay a monthly amount, which pays for a football pitch to train on, and then the weekly competitive matches also incur costs for playing.
“Having a full football kit and winter jackets boosted the team’s morale, along with fostering a sense of unity and pride. Not all parents are in a position to self-fund the purchasing of kits. It is with Vistry’s generosity that all 10 children now enter the football field as equals.
“The team are doing really well. This is their second season, and they have gone from playing five-a-side to seven-a-side this year. With these age groups, football scores are not published and children do not play in leagues. This allows them to learn about winning and losing in a fun environment. Youth football for U9/10s is all about acquiring skills.”
Vistry North Central Midlands sales and marketing director Carina Wilde said: “Helping the Stafford Town U9 Panthers with their new kit is a great way for us to get involved in supporting the community.
“We are glad that having brand new kit and winter jackets has been a boost for the team’s morale and we hope the youngsters get a lot out of the forthcoming season, improve their skills, and enjoy making new friends.”
Vistry Group includes the Bovis Homes, Linden Homes and Countryside Homes brands.
To find out more about the new homes Vistry is building at Partridge Walk, visit bovishomes.co.uk or lindenhomes.co.uk.
