ROCHDALE HOCKEY PARTNERS WITH RALPHH

A growing hockey club at Rochdale, which puts the welfare at the heart of its care for all players, has successfully achieved its own defibrillator, thanks to partnering with the RALPHH charity.

The approach to RALPHH was made by the Welfare Officer, Anna O’Mahony and the gift was presented on the pitch on a warm August evening.

Formed in 2008, the Club has 40 men, 23 laddies and some 40 juniors, all making use of the pitch at Oulder Leisure Complex, on the outskirts of the town. Membership is attracted by social media, flyers in the Leisure Centre and word of mouth. A key aim at present is to have enough members to have a second ladies' team, whilst a further ambition is to consistently build the under-14s within the junior section. Competition takes teams to as far afield as South Manchester and across to the Yorkshire coast, among other fixtures across varying

North West England leagues.

Pictures receiving the gift of the defibrillator from RALPHH are, left to right, Anna O’Mahoney; first team player Grace Goldie; and Grace Wardnell, who regularly plays as left winger for the Under 12 Juniors.