Worcester Six is on the ball with football club support

29th February 2016

A youth football club in Worcestershire is on target for a great few seasons after it secured a sponsorship deal with leading property developer Stoford. The company has been unveiled as the main sponsor for Crowle Searchers FC.

Birmingham-based Stoford has been appointed to deliver the £120 million Worcester Six development, near junction six of the M5, which will provide up to 1.5 million sq ft of accommodation in a range of high quality business units. It is expected to create around 5,000 jobs. 

The  FA Charter Standard football club, which has 120 players ranging from under-6s to under-18s, will benefit from the cash injection as it prepares to host its fifth annual football tournament in May at its Jubilee Playing Fields home in Crowle.

Club chairman Adrian Coleman, welcomed the sponsorship.

He said it would enable the club to keep annual subscriptions to a minimum cost and continue offering bursary schemes to players whose families are on low incomes.  

They would also be able to buy new Worcester Six branded kits for the players and branded manager coats, as well as help to fund the tournament that attracts more than 500 local players across 70 teams.

He said: “We are very grateful for the financial support from Stoford and Worcester Six. Clubs such as ours are run solely by volunteers, so it’s important to us to attract sponsorship that will allow our coaches to focus on encouraging young boys and girls of all abilities and backgrounds to participate and enjoy sport on a regular basis.

“Stoford’s generous support means we can look forward to a very bright future. We are very lucky to have excellent facilities provided by our parish council and while the club goes from strength to strength, we are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help manage and run our teams.”

The club, which was launched ten years ago with just eight players, was named after the 1960s pop group The Searchers who sponsored its first kit, thanks to the efforts of one of the band’s roadies who lived in Crowle. 

Stoford director Gerard Ludlow said: “As we are working on delivering this exciting business park in Worcester, we were only too pleased to offer support to this nearby grassroots football club. It is doing a sterling job in helping young people in the area access sport. We’re looking forward to cheering them on.”  

Councillor Ken Pollock, council member with responsibility for skills, infrastructure and economy said: “Worcester Six is a crucial investment opportunity in Worcestershire and as such is important for the County and all its residents. It is fantastic that the developer, Stoford has got behind Crowle FC to sponsor them and help promote the team. This will really help with the team’s morale and I hope that residents will get behind the team throughout the season.” 

Mark Martin, Board Member and Chair of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership’s Business Board, said: “When complete, Worcester Six will be home to 5,000 jobs and is a vital employment site in the County, alongside the M5 corridor.  

“It is good news that the site is progressing well and also that the appointed developers, Stoford, are supporting the local community.”

Work on Worcester Six’s £10 million infrastructure package for the park is making good progress.

Highways improvements to access the site have been funded by Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership through the Growth Deal. The £4m project to upgrade Pershore Lane is progressing well and will provide access to Worcester Six as well as improve traffic flow to Junction 6 of the M5 motorway and Worcestershire County Council, working in partnership with Stoford, has begun the programme of work. Stoford was appointed development partner by landowner The Spetchley Estate. 

Stoford is a leading specialist in occupier-focused development. It has delivered over 10 million sq ft of pre-let development throughout the UK.