Thetford Town Hockey Club’s men’s and women’s teams have both finished ninth in Division 4 North East following a season marked by determination, competitive spirit and significant disruption away from home.
Both teams were forced to train and play matches outside Thetford throughout the year due to replacement work on the Breckland Leisure Centre surface, with fixtures taking place in Watton and Bury St Edmunds.
Despite the challenges, the club continued to produce strong performances across the season.
The men’s side recorded nine wins from 22 matches and scored 56 goals, with Andrew Smith finishing as the league’s top scorer on 33 goals. Daniel Gidney also ranked among the division’s leading scorers.
The women’s team enjoyed an impressive campaign of their own, securing seven wins and three draws while scoring 61 goals. Jurate Mickenviciene finished third in the league scoring charts with 16 goals, while Kathy Hammond added another 11 goals during the season.
Club officials praised the commitment shown by players, coaches, volunteers, supporters and families throughout a particularly difficult year for the club.
Alongside events on the pitch, a major community sports project in Thetford has also continued to gather momentum.
A campaign to create a new £1 million all-weather sports pitch has reached an important milestone with the formation of Breckland All Sports Enterprise CIC.
The new Community Interest Company will oversee plans for a floodlit sand-based synthetic pitch at Thetford Academy, designed for hockey and football and available year-round for schools, clubs and community groups.
The project was originally launched in 2024 by Thetford Town Hockey Club alongside Herlings Hockey Club, local councillors, England Hockey and Active Norfolk.
Fundraising efforts are now underway, with an initial target of £30,000 needed to help unlock larger grant funding towards the overall project.
For more information about Thetford Hockey Club or to support the pitch appeal, contact: Brecklandallsports@btinternet.com
