Author: Michael Wilson

Community Garden Opening Ceremony & Easter Holiday Activities Awards

A community has celebrated the official opening of a new community garden created on waste land inside the football ground of Shildon AFC.

The ceremony held on Thursday 14th April 2022 was attended by community leaders, funding partners, representatives from the Northern Premier League and Shildon AFC staff.

The Community Garden has been created to provide an all-year round outdoor facility for the local community.

The ribbon was cut by Shildon AFC captain and local lad Ben Trotter.

   

David Dent, Shildon AFC Chairman said: “This is a special day for myself, my family, and the Club. I came back to Shildon to build a successful football Club and to put something back into the town that I grew up in. Thanks to Buildbase and our partners we now have an asset which the whole community can use and with our new CIC we will extend even further our reach into the local community, making Shildon AFC a true community football club”.

A community interest company (Shildon AFC CIC) has been set up to manage the facility and a Community Development Officer appointed to further integrate the garden into the local community.

Funding for the Garden was made possible by the Club’s successful bid to the Buildbase Community Club Award, which resulted in an award of £25,000.  The Club were also successful in achieving funding from the Councillors Neighbourhood Budget (which is administered by the Bishop Auckland and Shildon Area Action Partnership).

Construction of the Community Garden was completed by Westholme Construction.

Children have already been using the Community Garden this week as part of the Easter Holiday Activities scheme which provides sporting activities alongside a healthy breakfast and lunch.  Today marked the final day of activities and has once again proved extremely popular.  Each child participating was awarded with a medal, t-shirt and Easter Egg, all presented by Shildon AFC Manager Daniel Moore.

The Easter Holiday Activities scheme was funded by Livin, Fun & Food (Durham County Council), Bishop Auckland & Shildon Area Action Partnership, Shildon Alive and the PitchingIn Trident Community Fund.  

Special thanks also to Christian Taylor and Ben Trotter who facilitated/coached the activities during the four days of the scheme.

March for Mental Health – ManHealth

From April 13 to April 18 2022 a team of men from ManHealth will be walking over 130 miles in 5 Days to raise awareness of men’s mental health in the North East.  The men who all struggle with mental health conditions have benefitted from using the peer support groups and other services of ManHealth and are looking to raise awareness of the crisis in men’s mental health and raise funds for ManHealth to continue and extend their work.

They are planning to visit over 17 Football Club Grounds as part of their route and we are pleased to confirm that the march will arrive at Shildon AFC’s Dean Street ground on the evening of 16th April and depart again on the morning of 17th April.  The ground will be open for their arrival and departure and anybody can come along and welcome them to the ground or wave them off – an invitation is open to take part in the march.

   

As ManHealth planned the walk they heard the terrible news that one of their group had lost his son and the walk is now being done in loving memory of Harvey McWilliams.  Harvey was young lad from Darlington and was football mad.

Further details on the march can be found here:  March for Mental Health

ManHealth are a not for profit organisation dedicated to supporting men through difficulties in their mental healthare.

Further information ManHealth:  ManHealth

 

Free Easter Holiday Activities

Shildon AFC is holding a free football school at Dean Street during the Easter Holidays, once again sponsored by Livin and with support from the PitchingIn Trident Community Fund and Shildon Alive.  This follows on from successful schemes held over the last three years.

The scheme will take place between Monday 11th and Thursday 14th of April with each day starting at 10am and running through till 3pm, it is aimed at children between the ages of 8 and 12yrs (open to all not just Livin tenants, however places are limited).

Breakfast and a healthy lunch will be provided and the children will be coached by qualified players and coaches.

If you would like to register your interest please email Carolyn on cazmul@sky.com providing your children’s names, addresses, ages, and contact details.

Easter Egg Appeal 2022

Shildon AFC are proud to support Shildon Town Council and Shildon Civic Hall in this years Easter Egg Appeal.  The Club are offering the chance for anybody attending our home game on the 2nd April 2022 against Worksop Town FC to make an easter egg donation.

The aim of the appeal is to collect as many easter eggs as possible to give all children in a Shildon primary school an easter egg and to work with Shildon Alive to ensure all children receive a gift at the end of the Easter holiday food project they run.

Eggs can also be donated at:

Town Council Offices Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm
Shildon Civic Hall Monday – Friday from 6pm
Sunday 12 – 3pm
01388 772563 / 01388 772902 

  

Chairman Cements Commemorative Stone

Shildon AFC Chairman, David Dent today assisted in laying a commemorative stone in the block work for the new changing facilities at Dean Street.

          

The construction of the building is well under way and it is hoped that it will be available for use later in the summer.

Building work is being undertaken by Club partner Westholme Construction

The work on the changing facilities at Dean Street is one of a number of works which are changing the face of the ground.  The Community Garden is nearing completion, the old portacabins which currently house the home dressing room will be removed and layout of the remaining changing areas will be remodeled to include a Medical Room and spectator toilets.

David said, ” The building of the new changing blocks has been an enjoyable experience and that’s down to working with Westholme Construction who have been absolutely fantastic.  We needed these works doing as part of the requirements to play in the Northern Premier League East but they represent much more than that.  They alongside the Community Garden form a big part of building a sustainable Community Club and it’s been a privilege to lay this stone knowing the Club is well on course, along with the changing blocks, to be here for the next 100 years”

Hospitality Suite – Marske United FC (19/03/22)

Due to a late cancellation the hospitality suite for the Markse United game this coming Saturday (19th March 2022) is now available so why not book and enhance your matchday experience.

Hospitality includes entry to the ground (inlcuding a free programme) and the hospitality suite.  Within the private suite, we offer a fully stocked fridge throughout the game (which can be tailored to guest requirements), the suite has a match viewing area and live BT sports can be shown on the television screen.  There is a choice of meals for guests (choice must be the same for the whole group) and includes: homemade pizzas, hand cut chips, indian banquet, chinese, and traditional english dishes (e.g. fish and chips).

The cost for the day (1:00pm – 5:30pm) is £400 and up to 10 guests can attend.

Booking must be made by the end of today (Tuesday 15th March 2022) – and a 50% deposit must be paid.  Please contact:  briarave@hotmail.co.uk

Greulich Smith & Atkinson Sign New Deals

Shildon AFC are delighted to announce contract extensions for both Billy Greulich Smith and David Atkinson.

Billy has signed an extended contract which will take him up till the end of the 2022/23 season with a 1 year option (subject to FA approval).  Billy signed for Shildon on the 19th January 2012 and has made 337 appearances for the club scoring 167 goals.  This means Billy will have served over 10 years with the Club and a testimonial is planned during the 2022/23 pre-season to celebrate his time at the Club.  Further details will be announced in due course.

 

David, signed for the 2021/22 season has agreed to an extension to his contract with the Club which takes him till the end of the 2022/23 season with a 1 year option (subject to FA approval).  David has made 30 appearances to date scoring 2 goals.

 

 

Both are key players for the Club moving forward and we are delighted that they have signed new deals.