Berkhamsted School pitches in for Raiders
29 Oct 2012

Berkhamsted School has stepped forward to relieve the pressure on football pitches in Berkhamsted by providing additional playing facilities for local youth football club, Berkhamsted Raiders CFC.

Raiders is one of the biggest youth football clubs in the country and provides football for over 700 local girls and boys. But it is struggling to cope with demand and is desperately short of grass pitches for youth football.

The Club has a long established football partnership agreement with Ashlyns School, and also funds pitches, goalposts and nets at other local schools including Bridgwater, Greenway, Egerton Rothesay, and Thomas Coram. In total, the Club funds or provides 24 pitches for use by its 56 teams. But the success of the Club and the shortage of grass pitches in the area have meant that it cannot accommodate all the children who want to play football at Raiders.

The new arrangement with Berkhamsted School means that Raiders will be provided with free use of two pitches at Haslam Field on Shooters Way. A mini-soccer pitch for U8s and U9s and a 9v9 pitch for U10s and U11s will be made available for Sunday games.

Keith Pollard, Raiders Chairman, says: “This is another great example of how local schools and sports clubs can work together for the benefit of the community as a whole. We are delighted that in Olympic year, the School has come forward to support us and enable more local children to participate in sport”

Dean Simpson the Bursar at Berkhamsted School says: “Berkhamsted School is delighted to be working with Berkhamsted Raiders CFC to promote youth football.  Many of our pupils are playing members at Raiders and by having an agreement to offer two junior pitches for their Sunday fixtures it will give the youngsters more opportunity to play their sport in the Town.  Berkhamsted School is excited about the development of youth football under the new FA initiative.”