Feckenham Village U9s hit the top spot

Small local clubs are the lifeblood of many communities up and down the country, often created and nurtured to success thanks to parents and local coaches who generously give their time week in and week out for free. Feckenham Village U9’s football team is just one example, with the team only put together last summer now riding high on individual and team success, currently holding the top spot with three points clear in the Worcestershire Mercian Junior Football League. Feckenham village U9's administrator and football father, Peter Lane, explained: “After a lot of hard work and through a series of trials, and simply getting the message out there that we were looking for players, we finally had a squad. Luckily we were accepted at the last minute in to the Worcestershire Mercian League and thanks to the incredible sponsorship from Oakland International, we were then able to purchase our much needed team kit, as well as the minor essentials of goal posts and balls! “Since then, Omar Gulbahce the club coach, Stuart Bradley our head coach, Tom Smallman the assistant coach and I, as the assistant and admin support, have been training with the team on Tuesday nights and playing matches on Saturday mornings at the main Feckenham pitch, which provides us with the opportunity to take advantage of their well equipped and refurbished club house facilities, so it’s simply fantastic that the team’s now at the top of the league.” The club plans to start a B team this coming summer, and again enter the league. Future developments also include creating a new U9 team when the current U9s move up and become the club’s new U10s. Oakland International marketing director, Sallie Attwell, said: “It’s fantastic to support such great youth initiatives as the Feckenham Village U9 team through our Oakland Foundation charity. “Club coaches, volunteers and parents such as Peter are doing an amazing job, and it’s testament to their dedication that the team is now at the top of their league in such a short space of time. We’re delighted to be able to help through sponsorship of the Feckenham Village U9s team.” Feckenham Village are looking to recruit new competent players to play in the U9 and U10 league this spring and summer. Anyone interested in joining the club for the upcoming season should contact head coach, Stuart Bradley on 07791 624 856. Image details from: Feckenham Village Football Club U9s in their Oakland Foundation sponsored team kit. Editor’s Notes: Founded in 1998, Oakland International is an * award winning family owned multi temperature distribution and contracting packing specialist, operating both UK and Ireland depots, for food and consumer goods using ambient, chilled and frozen transportation into major UK and Irish retail, wholesale, discount and convenience markets. The Oakland Foundation, launched in 2012, is based on three core areas of Health and Nutrition, Education and Sport, supporting underprivileged children in the area. Key industry associations include; British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD), Road Hauliers Association (RHA), Food Storage and Distribution Federation (FSDF), Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and a member of the Chamber of Commerce for Herefordshire and Worcestershire, British Contract Manufacturers and Packers Association (BCMPA) and accredited by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Company details: Oakland International Limited UK: +44 (0) 1527 596 222 e: sales@oakland-international.com www.oakland-international.com twitter: @OaklandIntUK For all Oakland International press and media enquiries, in the first instance please contact: Kathryn Watts m: 07970 547469 e: k.watts@evopr.com *Latest Awards include 2012 joint winners with SPAR UK of the Environmental Contribution Award at the European Supply Chain Excellence Awards in the category of Contribution to Environmental Improvement: Climate Change and finalists in the Ian MacLaurin Award for Supply Chain Excellence Award, in the 2012 IGD food industry awards.