We’re pleased to announce that our Community Sports Trust Team are now the proud owners of a new minibus thanks to Rochdale fan and businessman Steve Hill.
Mr Hill, a Dale fan of more than 40-years, is Managing Director of Extrastaff – the driving and industrial specialists, and has kindly offered to sponsor the bus.
It’s not the first time that Mr Hill has sponsored a club vehicle. Previously, back in 2016, his generosity enabled the club to provide Jack the Kitman with a much needed new van.
The Trust vehicle is already proving to be an invaluable asset, with the bus used to transport the likes of the club’s Walking Footballers to competitions, the Futsal Scholars to matches, and to get staff to and from visits to local Primary Schools.
“Extrastaff Limited are delighted to be sponsoring the new Rochdale AFC Community Sports Trust minibus,” said Mr Hill.
“Although the highly successful agency is based some 200 miles away in St Albans, as a life-long Dale fan, I wanted to put something back into the club that has given me so much pleasure and a little pain over the past four decades.
“I was so impressed by the work that Keith Hicks, Siobhan McElhinney and their staff do, that it didn’t take me long to part with some monies to support the superb work they do.
“We might be a £40m business but I think it’s important to give something back to a community regardless of its commercial rewards. I would strongly urge local businesses to get involved with the club, as it forms such an integral part of the local community of Rochdale.”
Head of Dale’s Community Sports Trust, Keith Hicks, is delighted with the new addition: “I would like to thank Steve Hill and Extrastaff for their continued support and sponsorship. I cannot begin to tell you how important this minibus is for us.
“In recent weeks, it has allowed us to get our Walking Footballers to Bolton Wanderers for the EFL Trust Regional Finals, our Ability Counts Open Age and Under 16s to the Greater Manchester Ability Counts Presentation at Wigan Athletic, and the Futsal Scholars to the Manchester Futsal Centre for North West matches.
“It is also hugely beneficial for our staff, who go out across the Borough to deliver weekly coaching sessions at schools and various locations in Rochdale. And in the next few weeks, the minibus will be used to transport the Dale’s Silver 60s group on day trips to the likes of Southport.
“All of this has only been made possible thanks to owning our very own minibus. It is already proving to be a great asset to the Trust.”
David Bottomley, Chair of the Dale in the Community Trust’s Trustees, added: “Steve Hill has used his success in business and his commercial acumen to help his beloved Dale.
“Even though his very successful company is predominantly Southern based, this is not the first piece of major sponsorship that Steve has been involved in, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his continued support.
“Recently, Steve also has become a Trustee of the Dale Community Sports Trust, and despite again the distance involved, is bringing valued expertise to the role. It is great to have him on board.”