Stockport Hockey Award
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Date: 10th August 2009
Stockport Hockey Club gain England Hockey CLUBSFIRST accreditation
ClubsFirst is the England Hockey club accreditation scheme. It is the “kite mark” for clubs that can demonstrate that they work towards minimum operating standards. ClubsFirst is aligned with the Sport England Clubmark accreditation, recognised nationally by National Governing Bodies, Local Government, Education and the Sporting Industry. In its simplest terms, the process ensures that a Club has a “safe, effective and child friendly” club environment.
Stockport Hockey Club (SHC) was established in September 2007, following the merger of teams from the local Stockport & District Women’s Hockey League (SDWHL). The league had an enviable 85 year old history but recognised the need for change to create a “club for all” with sound policies and practices to ensure hockey continued to be coached and played in a safe environment.
Although SHC strives for success with our teams our main focus is very much “grass roots” hockey meaning our club is about increasing participation numbers and the development of juniors as well as providing competitive opportunities for players of all abilities.
SHC decided that working towards ClubsFirst Accreditation would provide them with a framework to ensure that a sound set of processes and procedures would be established along with the structure within the club to deliver them. It has been a long but worthwhile process.
Andrea Boulton, Club Development Officer at Stockport Hockey Club says, “We found working towards and achieving England Hockey ClubsFirst accreditation an enlightening and rewarding experience. It enabled us to build on what we do well at Stockport Hockey Club as well as identify areas that we needed to improve. We now have a clear vision of where the club wants to be longer term as well as a plan of how we are going to get there and I believe we are a better club as a result.”
Stockport Hockey Club have put Stockport on the map by becoming the 150th Club to gain the England Hockey ClubsFirst Accreditation!