A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came along to our ‘Let’s Talk SHC’ meeting on 17th July. It was fantastic to see so many members there, with plenty proudly wearing their Southend HC colours, showing just how much this club means to everyone.

For members who missed the meeting please see highlights of all clubs fundraising plans and how YOU can help!

1. PURPOSE OF MEETING

The purpose of the meeting held at Garon Park CIC on 17th July was fourfold:

• Firstly, to tell club members and supporters where we are on our journey to a new pitch and home.
• Secondly to explain how we are planning working in partnership with Garon Park CIC to get from where we are now to playing on a new hockey pitch at our new home.
• Thirdly what we as a club need to do now to make our new home a reality.
• Finally launch/relaunch two fundraising initiatives (Fundraising Club Lottery and Easyfundraising) and start thinking of some fundraising initiatives.

2. THE JOURNEY SO FAR

• SHC was founded in December 1936, so this year is our 90th anniversary and the club intend to mark the event.
• SHC moved into the Belfairs Clubhouse in October 1989, however since hockey moved away from playing on grass to an artificial surface, the club has relied on hiring pitches at various locations and in recent season that has meant playing some games at Chelmsford.
• Recognising that both hiring pitches in various locations to play and train and having a clubhouse separate from where we play and train, the Committee in December 2018 approached Garon Park about a potential pitch opportunity and the first meeting to discuss this took place in January 2019.
• In May 2022 SHC agreed at its’ AGM to support the Garon Park Planning Process with a financial contribution.
• In June 2024 SHC and Garon Park signed a Memorandum of understanding to support the planning process and for SHC to the hockey club based at Garons on completion of the new hockey pitch.
• October 2024 Garon Park submitted the planning application to Southend City Council
• On 25th June 2025, the Planning Application was discussed and approved by the Council’s Planning Committee and the final planning paperwork was not formally signed off by the Council until April 2026.

The Club’s Chairperson likens our journey to climbing Mount Everest, where we have done the majority of the hard work in reaching the last camp before the final push to the summit (our new pitch and home) and reaching this point is absolutely something we should celebrate as a club and that we have come along away since first recognising the issue the club faced. However, we now need to move forward with what next to make Garon Park our new home.

However, before doing so, it is worth taking the opportunity to mention Garon Park CIC and Wellbeing at Garon Park as this is where we will be making our home and some of you may know very little if anything about this place.

Garon Park CIC focuses on providing quality facilities for the community ensuring that clubs, groups and organisations have access to space. The facilities at Garons Park CIC are used by schools and sports clubs including cricket, football, rugby and netball.

Wellbeing at Garons Park is a charity that operates within the Garon Park CIC facilities. Its mission is to enhance mental and physical health, improve biodiversity and promote environmental sustainability. There is a Wellbeing Park with the Wellbeing Trail a multipurpose pathway for cycling, running, walking and wheelchair access that links a number of activities and Venues. The trail is used by 100s and act as a hub for community and wellbeing initiatives, including the Nature, Fitness and Art Trails.

3. FUNDRAISING

So Garon Park CIC now have planning permission for new hockey and football pitches, changing rooms and drinks kiosk. Now that the project has reached the fundraising stage Garon Park are launching the fundraising initiative “The Collection” which not only covers our specific project, but other projects such as a new clubhouse as well as youth and environmental projects. We will be working with Garon Park to raise funds for the new hockey pitch (£800k). The fundraising strategy that we and Garon Park have agreed is attached to this message for your information, as is the hockey promotional video produced by Garon Park CIC as part of the collection.

4. WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW

Whilst we have come this far with only small group of four people and thanks to Jenny, Peter, Ty and Kate for getting us this far. Moving forward requires the whole club to get involved and Marcus Watson volunteered to fill to the vacant role of Fundraising Officer at the meeting and some other club members agreed to help with the four streams of the fundraising strategy.

However, we still need more help so if you are any experience or a black book of corporate contacts that could benefit one of the four streams, or would be willing to help the club to organise and/or run fundraising initiatives please get in touch with the respective leads of our four fundraising streams via the message facility on the Pitchero App:

Marcus Watson – Club Fundraising
Kate Harding – Corporate
Caitlin Nolan – Go Fund Me
Peter Woodman - Grants

Fear not if you are unable to help with the streams mentioned above, we would appreciate you backing the club by attending events, buying one of our new club lottery tickets or signing up to easyfundraising.

The opportunity that the club has now to make Garon Park our new pitch and home is not one that is likely to come along again, so we must wholeheartedly we all get behind it.

SOUTHEND HOCKEY CLUB - MAKING A NEW HOME A REALITY - GET INVOLVED!