Pershore hockey club returns thanks to £900k project

A new floodlit artificial pitch has been created at the Station Road school

A hockey club has reopened after 40 years, thanks to a £900,000 project to transform sports facilities at a Worcestershire school.

Pershore High School has a new floodlit sand-dressed artificial pitch, as part of the scheme to benefit pupils and the community.

Pershore Hockey Club, which has not been in the town since 1983, had more recently been played in Worcester.

An existing 3G pitch at the school has also been resurfaced.

The pitch was about 20 years old and floodlights have been upgraded to energy-efficient LEDs.

Wychavon District Council chairman Robert Raphael helped Pershore High School and members of Pershore Hockey Club to open the new pitch

James Cox, school facilities manager, said £800,000 of the money was from a 106 order, issued through house building that is also going on in the town.

"Pershore Hockey Club haven't played here for 40 years.

"There's no doubt whatsoever that the hockey club's going to grow. Other people are going to come and use facilities."

The men's hockey team played their first home game on 11 November against City of Birmingham, while the school has scheduled hockey PE lessons to start in the new year.

Football training

Mr Cox said: "I know the PE staff are obviously excited.

"That's where Pershore Hockey [Club] will benefit, because obviously you've got the children playing proper hockey during PE lessons.

"We're going to link both the hockey club and the PE department to try and grow that."

The Station Road school was also being used for football training, Wychavon District Council said.

The need for new facilities was identified in Wychavon's Playing Pitch and Open Spaces Strategy because of a lack of outdoor sports pitches.

The council said Wychavon was investing another £400,000 into creating two more 3G pitches at Prince Henry's High School in Evesham and Inkberrow Football Club, Worcester.