National Hockey Foundation grants to local professional soccer club

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[redumpire]

Here's a reply that George Brink received from the Chair of the NHF in response to the original thread on the Talking Hockey site.  Please note the sections that I have highlighted - the money is not being handed over to a football club just to support football.

The Trustees of NHF are concerned that, following the launch of the new web site, there are clearly misunderstandings among the hockey community.  We would attempt to clarify issues raised.

The National Hockey Foundation is, and always has been, an independent Charitable Trust. Whilst originally established to develop and operate the Hockey Stadium at Milton Keynes it is completely separate from the sport’s governing body (England Hockey) which has no influence on the decisions or activities of the Trust.

Following the sale of the lease on the stadium, back to the original landowner English Partnerships, the Foundation’s principle objective now, is to administer the substantial funds resulting from that sale for the benefit of sport in general and Hockey in particular.

The Trust does not have a specific mandate or responsibility to support the sport of hockey; its charitable remit includes all sports. However, the Trust hopes, and expects, to be able to give substantial financial support to the development of hockey particularly at youth level. The Trustees see the role of the Foundation as encouraging the development and growth of Hockey by providing operational and capital funding through clubs, schools and other educational establishments and by supporting England Hockey’s youth development activities.

The Trustees want to keep the activities of the Foundation transparent, aid communication, and make grant application as easy as possible.  They feel that our web site, linked to England Hockey’s site, will support this. Our website clearly encourages applicants and sets out the criteria for grant application. Our aim is that applicants should be quite clear from the outset what the requirements are for successful applications.

Specific concern has been voiced at the substantial grant recently awarded to MK Dons Trust. This funding has not been given as a support to the MK Dons football club as this would not meet the Foundation’s charitable objectives. The funding has been for the specific development of the “Onside for life” health project. Established by the MK Dons Education and Sports Trust, this initiative aims to encourage children under the age of 16 years to participate in active sport and, specifically, to deliver a childhood obesity treatment and prevention service. The Trustees have set down conditions to be met before the full funding is issued and the recipient Trust is required to provide ongoing feedback to ensure that these are properly met.

Similar, rigorous monitoring forms part of all grants issued by NHF including those to England Hockey and other hockey applicants.

The Foundation’s web site outlines how monies have been used to date and the Trustees intend to continue to make this information available as further grants are made.

Details and procedures for making application to the National Hockey Foundation can be found on the NHF web site http://www.thenationalhockeyfoundation.com.

The Chairman,
The National Hockey Foundation

November 2008

This was originally posted on George's Talking Hockey site.

So, money isn't being given to football clubs willy-nilly and there's money there that hockey clubs can bid for.  If I were you I'd get on and put a bid together.



EDIT: link in quote changed in light of Diligent's post below.

[Diligent]

Note that the correct web address is: http://www.thenationalhockeyfoundation.com     that is ...com, not ...co.uk

This funding has not been given as a support to the MK Dons football club as this would not meet the Foundation's charitable objectives. The funding has been for the specific development of the 'Onside for life' health project. Established by the MK Dons Education and Sports Trust, this initiative aims to encourage children under the age of 16 years to participate in active sport and, specifically, to deliver a childhood obesity treatment and prevention service.

The Chairman,
The National Hockey Foundation
November 2008

But still some disquiet remains:
- No doubt the MK Dons FC is happy to take the credit for 'making kids fitter' through the work of the MK Dons Trust charity?
- The NHF has granted £75K and approved a further £150 to MK Dons Trust. Are both grants to 'Onside for life' or is one of them for something else - such as developing youth football(ers)?
- £225K of grants from the NHF is £225K that the MK Dons Trust doesn't need to draw from the football club - leaving the football club with £225K to invest in their football business.
- It is hard to imagine how 'Onside for life' might spend £15K on obese children in MK, let alone £225K - unless it is paying full commercial prices for MK Dons staff hours, rental of MK Dons facilities, transport to the sessions in the MK Dons bus, etc?

Whatever... it's done now. As the hockey community becomes more aware of the National Hockey Foundation, let us hope that most future applications and grants involve hockey.

[redumpire]

Note that the correct web address is: http://www.thenationalhockeyfoundation.com     that is ...com, not ...co.uk

Thanks for pointing that out Diligent.  I'll amend the original quote.

- No doubt the MK Dons FC is happy to take the credit for 'making kids fitter' through the work of the MK Dons Trust charity?

Frankly, if people are working to make our country's kids fitter and reduce obesity, which is recognised by all health professionals as something that's going to (a) kill a load of people and (b) cost the country £billions in the process if we don't address it very, very soon, I genuinely don't care who takes the credit.

But as you say, what's done is done.  Let's hope hockey people in England take the opportunity to apply for funding now that they know that the NHF exists.