Hailsham Hockey Club launch 'Pitch-In' to help raise over £25,000

Pitch In is looking to raise over £25,000 to contribute to the cost of resurfacing its home pitch at Hailsham Community College.

When asked why she felt it was important to support the hockey club's campaign, Rachel said that he hoped the pitch could be updated to benefit the club as well as the local community,’ '

She said: “The pitch on which the club uses needs updating. This would be to the benefit of the club but also to the benefit of all the children at the school who train on the pitch.

“As the club has been so welcoming to me and my family, I would like to try and do something in return to try and raise funds and increase awareness of the campaign. This will hopefully enable us to pull together as a community for the benefit of the local teams, children and area.”

Hailsham Hockey Club has over 100 members and caters for men's, women's and junior hockey. Having formed in 1902 it has a long history of providing hockey in the local area. Rachel is relatively new to the club as a player and she now gets to enjoy the sport with her two daughters.

She added: “After bringing my two children along to play at Hailsham Hockey Club for years, as they got older and became eligible to play for the ladies’ team, I decided to join in and play to try to improve my overall general health.

“I'm always impressed with how kind and supportive the club is to all their players, how friendly and welcoming they are and how the club supports each other. Even though I had not played Hockey since school, I was welcomed in, assisted with skills development, encouraged to do what I can manage and to have fun.

A crowdfunding campaign will start from Monday, January 22 where individuals and businesses will be able to 'Pitch in' to help the club hopefully reach its target in eight weeks. Club members are undertaking several fundraising events over this period and will culminate in a sponsored walk from Hastings to Eastbourne pier with some litter picking on the way.