Hellens Group backs grassroots girls’ football through sponsorship of FC Darlington Locomotives
Young players in Darlington are being given new opportunities to train and grow in the game thanks to community sponsorship from Hellens Group and Homes England, the master developers behind Burtree Garden Village.
Hellens and Homes England have provided £800 to support the launch of FC Darlington Locomotives’ new Development Centre, which delivers structured, skills-based football sessions for children aged three to eleven. The sessions, based at Eastbourne Sports Complex and in local schools, are designed to make football accessible to everybody, regardless of background or ability.
FC Darlington Locomotives is a registered charity and one of the region’s leading all-girls grassroots football clubs, with teams ranging from Under 7s through to adult level. The club is run entirely by volunteers and has built strong partnerships with local schools to encourage more girls to take up the sport.
The sponsorship reflects Hellens Group’s long-term commitment to local communities as part of its work delivering Burtree Garden Village, a sustainable new community being created to the north-west of Darlington in partnership with Homes England. The development will include around 2,000 new homes, employment space and extensive green infrastructure, with nearly half the site dedicated to open space, parks and landscaped areas.
Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive of Hellens Group, said: “Our focus at Burtree Garden Village is on creating a community that promotes wellbeing, opportunity and a strong sense of place. Supporting FC Darlington Locomotives fits perfectly with that. The club is doing outstanding work in helping young people, particularly girls, to develop confidence and new skills through football, and we’re proud to be involved.”
Nathan Beadle, chairman and head coach of FC Darlington Locomotives, said: “We’re hugely grateful to Hellens Group and Homes England for their backing. Support like this enables us to open up football to more children and strengthen our work with local schools. The Development Centre gives young players a fun and inclusive introduction to the game, and this partnership helps us continue to grow that opportunity.”
