A successful Morecambe community football team will be fully kitted out as they walk out for matches thanks to a four-figure grant from a renewable energy firm.
Morecambe Walking Football Club runs four sessions a week at which more than 60 players aged between 50 and 84 can continue to enjoy the sport they love at a slightly more relaxed pace.
Representative teams that play competitive six-a-side fixtures against other clubs currently wear shirts that were donated by Morecambe Football Club.
And now, with the club looking to increase the number of competitions it enters, a £1,000 grant from the community fund linked to renewable energy firm OnPath Energy’s nearby Heysham South Wind Farm has allowed the club to buy matching shorts and socks to go with them.
The grant has also enabled to refresh its stock of training and match balls to ensure the players have what they need to practice and play and will also help to cover some of its general running costs.
Originally founded by a group of friends in 2019, Morecambe Walking Football Club began operating more formally in 2022 and is primarily based at the Mossgate Sports Centre in Heysham.
Alongside the games that it hosts, the club also works to support its members’ wider well-being by keeping in touch with any players who haven’t been around for a few weeks to make sure everything’s OK with them.
It also hosts post-match social sessions to give everyone the chance to share valuable social time with friends old and new after the final whistle blows.
Steve Rollings, co-founder of Morecambe Walking Football Club, said: “As they get older, lots of people who’ve played sport all their lives naturally find that they can’t keep doing what they’ve always done, and this can have an impact on both their physical and mental health.
“Playing our games helps to keep our members active, and they’re all just as committed as they were when they were younger, but the social inclusion side of things is equally important for us.
“We provide a friendly, welcoming space where anyone can have a chat about whatever’s on their minds, while we make sure to keep in touch with people who haven’t been coming along, just to check that they’re OK and not facing any issues that we might be able to help with.
“With walking football growing in popularity, we’re looking to play more competitive fixtures against other clubs and now being able to turn out in a full matching kit will really help to enhance our team identity.
“It’s been brilliant to get OnPath Energy’s backing, especially at a time when running costs are continuing to rise and we’re trying to keep fees low to make sure we stay accessible to everyone, and we’re really grateful for their support.”
The Heysham South Wind Farm community generated almost 23,400 MWh of green electricity in 2024, which is enough to meet the average annual electricity needs of over 8,000 homes, while almost £11,400 was directed into its community benefits fund over the same 12 months.
Tom Chaplin, partnership & community manager at OnPath Energy, added: “This is another great example of how our OnPath Together development approach helps us deliver direct benefits into the communities where we work, which is a core part of delivering a just transition to renewable energy that is fair and inclusive for everyone
“The positive local impact that the club has on and off the pitch is clear to see and we’re very pleased to be part of helping to sustain it.”
Environmental and community projects in the vicinity of the Heysham South Wind Farm which are interested in applying to its community fund should first contact the fund manager via apply@onpathcommunityfund.co.uk or on 0191 378 6342 to confirm that their group or project is eligible.
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