Member Article

Leo Group “Tackles” Thriving Halifax Junior Football Club’s Parking Woes

A thriving Halifax junior football club’s lack of parking facilities has been successfully “tackled” by a Calderdale environmental company.

Boothtown-based Leo Group, along with the help of Leeds-based waste management company Associated Waste Management Ltd, has created a brand-new car park for Beacon Rangers – which plays in the Huddersfield Junior Football League - at its Southowram base.

Just two years ago, the club issued a plea for support from the local community and business to help ensure its future.

Now, half way through the current season, it provides more than 100 boys and girls with the opportunity to play football in a safe and enjoyable environment, and it is common practice for players from bigger clubs to ask to join Beacon Rangers.

Before the intervention of the Leo Group, cars were having to drive across the field with no form of track, leading it to becoming particularly treacherous in wet weather.

A car park was seen as crucial to the club’s future as it pushes ahead with plans to expand with more teams being created each year.

And, as a direct result of the Leo Group’s generosity in creating this new facility, club members - together with volunteers from the local community - will join forces on Sunday, February 11, to enhance the pitches and changing rooms.

Nigel Freeman, Beacon Rangers Junior Football Club chairman, said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the Leo Group for their generosity in building this car park for us.

“As a small club run by volunteers, it’s often difficult to find the funding that will help secure our future. The parking and track is a really important step towards the club having a fully functional home base, making fixtures and training sessions far easier to host.

“And, thanks to the Leo Group, the local community have been inspired to help us further with our improvements to the grounds.

“All their help will mean that we can provide even more opportunities for young people to play football in the local area!”

John Brooksbank, Associated Waste Management Ltd Managing Director, said: “When we heard about the challenges faced by Nigel and his team at Beacon Rangers, there was no other option but for us to help.

“In conjunction with the Leo Group, we managed to lay a surface so that both the home team and visitors’ cars could park safely around the pitch.

“Beacon Rangers is a fantastic community initiative that truly develops the sports skills of boys and girls from the area. We were proud to help.”

Danny Sawrij, Chairman of the Leo Group, said: “Nigel and his colleagues who run Beacon Rangers do a fantastic job, and Beacon Rangers is a club the whole community can be proud of.

“The coaches do an outstanding job teaching so many youngsters the joys of playing the ‘beautiful game’, and we recognised the car park was something that we could assist with.

“Now it’s completed, it’s wonderful to hear that the community is now coming together next month to help Beacon Rangers improve its changing facilities and pitches.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Watts .