Home win for Bristol football team

Fri, Oct 6th 2006, 11:00

Winterbourne United finished last season victorious, sitting comfortably at the top of the Hellenic League Division 1 West and this coming season will see the popular football team start their campaign with the same dreams and ambitions but have a new sponsorship deal in place.

When Winterbourne United’s chairman, Robyn Maggs, was appointed, the club fielded just two teams. However in the 17 years that Robyn has been chair, the club has grown and it now boasts four senior teams, an under 18 youth squad and five children’s teams starting from under 6s.

Robyn says: "We were extremely proud to be 14 points clear at the top of the league last season. This coming season we intend to carry on where we left off. Through Redrow’s generous sponsorship we have bought the first team and youth squads complete new kits which means all sides will be sporting our traditional red strip, something we feel important in promoting our identity and profile."

Winterbourne United rely solely on fundraising so when the club was approached by local house builder Redrow, they couldn’t believe their luck.

 

"We are extremely grateful to Redrow for their generous sponsorship. We rarely receive such large donations. The money will go a long way and be used productively," adds Robyn.

 

Redrow decided to sponsor the Hellenic League Division 1 West champions after buying 77 acres of land from Hewlett Packard in North Bristol.

Bob Sowden, construction director for Redrow Homes (South West), says: "We always like to give something back to the communities we build in and my daughter has previously played on the youth team at Winterbourne United so I knew they needed help and Redrow were more than happy to sponsor them."

Robyn continues: "The sponsorship from Redrow has really raised our spirits. We have been trying to get planning permission for a new ground for some time now and currently we are awaiting the results of our appeal after our second bid was denied. However, the sponsorship has taken our minds of any other worries we had."

Winterbourne United has grown massively and is extremely popular with the local people. The proposed new ground will boast a new clubhouse and changing rooms and although planning permission has been refused twice it is backed by the local District Councillors and Winterbourne Parish Council, who are partnering the venture.

"A new ground is pivotal to the growth of the club as we need to have the best facilities for our existing squads and to expand the youth section by introducing new age groups. If approved, it will be on Beacon Lane in Winterbourne and is a good size at nine acres. It is a community driven initiative and will be shared with the local parish council. We are extremely excited about the new ground and really hope that the appeal is successful.

"Having finished last season 14 points clear at the top of the table and with our new sponsorship deal, we seem to have everything except the ground," adds Robyn.

Redrow themselves hope to be top of the league when they open their new homes development in North Bristol. They plan to build at least 1,250 homes over a period of up to 10 years at the Hewlett Packard site ranging from one-bedroom apartments to five-bedroom luxury family homes. It is anticipated that the first lot of homes will go on sale in the spring of 2007.

For more information about the Hewlett Packard site or to register your interest call Redrow’s sales hotline in 01454 625 990

To join Winterbourne Untied’s fundraising club ‘the united club’ where members can win monthly prizes of up to £25 or annual prizes of up to £250, call Robyn Maggs on 01454 887338 or 07976 255666.