Every club plays a critical role in the success of our sport. At England Hockey, we understand the immense time and energy our committees and volunteers contribute, and we are committed to ensuring your membership is directly reinvested into supporting you.
Whether you need advice on governance, delivering competitions, or ensuring your club is a safe and welcoming place, we provide the practical guidance and tools to help your club thrive. Our support is built to work for you - evolving alongside your needs to keep the game at the heart of your community.
Since the start of the new membership year in September, we have delivered a range of club support services, including online learning opportunities, bespoke one-to-one support, specialist facilities guidance, and a suite of free digital tools and resources:
Connecting the Club Network
We provide a monthly calendar of opportunities for clubs to connect, learn, and share solutions on key topics. Since September we have provided practical solutions and expert advice on Safeguarding, Governance, the Junior Hockey Framework, building relationships with facility providers, the Pitch Together Fund, and Crowdfunding.
- National & Local Forums: To provide a unified and localised approach, we have delivered over 50 networking sessions since September. These forums (including both National Forums and Local Club Networks) have been accessed by over 400 clubs, with 700+ attendees regularly sharing good practice and discussing common challenges.
Direct One-to-One Support
Our Club Development Manager’s provide bespoke assistance to help clubs grow and evolve:
- Targeted Growth: CDMs are currently working with 82 clubs on a one-to-one basis, focusing on junior development and projects to make memberships more diverse and reflective of local communities.
- Compliance & Safety: We are supporting 34 clubs to complete their ClubMark accreditation, ensuring compliance and a safe and welcoming environment for all members.
- Expert Access to Specialists: We provide direct access to our national experts in Safeguarding, Talent, Coaching and more to help your club navigate complex, club-specific challenges and find resolutions quickly.
Protecting & Developing Our Facilities
Our Facility Development Managers work behind the scenes to ensure hockey has a home, providing practical guidance to help facilities thrive:
- Pitch Protection: We have successfully saved 14 pitches from being lost to other sports since September by intervening in live planning applications and Local Authority strategies.
- Investable Projects: The team is currently supporting 93 active projects, helping clubs develop investable plans, secure funding through developer contributions, and providing specialist technical advice.
- Strategic Impact: We have supported 112 Local Authority playing pitch strategies this year to ensure hockey remains a priority in local sports planning.
- The Pitch Together Fund: This fund provides affordable, repayable finance to enable clubs to invest in long-term resilience. In the summer of 2025, we helped Gillingham Anchorians HC switch to energy-efficient LEDs and Old Loughtonians HC resurface two artificial pitches.
Digital Support & Online Resources
We provide a wide range of free-to-access tools designed to reduce the administrative burden on volunteers, available as and when you need them:
- "What Makes a Great Club": Our core guidance framework, highlighting key areas of governance, workforce, and community links to help strengthen your club.
- England Hockey Club Portal: The central digital home for managing ClubMark accreditation and your membership information.
- Learning & Development: 24/7 access to the Hockey Hub and Buddle (Sport England) for resources, tools, and guidance to help your club succeed.
- Club Promotion: Access our Marketing Portal to personalise and download professional materials to promote your hockey activities and grow your local profile.
At a Glance: Supporting the Club Network (Sept–Now)
- 520+ club leaders supported through our National Forums.
- 14 pitches saved from being lost to other sports in just six months.
- 112 Local Authority playing pitch strategies supported.
- 93 active facility projects receiving technical and funding advice.
- 82 clubs receiving bespoke one-to-one junior growth support.
- 145 clubs collaborating and sharing solutions in local networking groups.
- 35 localised networks delivered by our Club Development Managers.
- 34 clubs supported to achieve ClubMark safety and governance standards.
Through our enhanced club membership support, we are committed to reducing the administrative burden on your committee and providing the expert guidance your club needs to grow.
Your next step is to visit our Running a Club section, which provides the practical ideas, inspiration, and tools needed to ensure a safe and successful experience for your members whenever you need us.
