Leek United has become the latest supporter of a Derbyshire football club’s bid to create its own home ground.
![United’s home support for Ashbourne FC](https://cdn-res.keymedia.com/cdn-cgi/image/w=1000,h=600,f=auto/https://cdn-res.keymedia.com/mortgageintroducer/uploads/2016/06/football-goal-net.jpg)
Leek United has become the latest supporter of a Derbyshire football club’s bid to create its own home ground.
Ashbourne FC has set up a special project to help fund the development of a new football pitch and dedicated facilities on land at Waterside Park in the town.
Now, Leek United – which has a branch in the centre of Ashbourne – has donated a signed Stoke City FC shirt for the club to auction off to raise more money.
The Branch in Victoria Square is also acting as the main collection point for donations of unwanted football shirts, which Ashbourne FC will then sell on to boost the fundraising.
John Kelly, the society’s operations director, said: “Ashbourne FC is well-loved in the local community, and needs all the help it can get for this fantastic project.
“As a building society, we’re in the business of helping people realise the dream of owning their own home – which is exactly what the club wants to do – so we are delighted to be able to add our own support to the Development Fund.”
The Stoke City shirt was presented to Ashbourne FC chairman Paul Riley by John andbranchmanager Katie Massey at Leek United’s Ashbourne branch.
Riley said: “Although we have teams in the Staffs County Premier and Midlands Regional Divisions, we have never had our own home ground, so our aim is to construct a new football pitch, complete with changing rooms, on a 13-acre site at Waterside Park.
“Leek United’s much-appreciated donation of the signed Stoke City shirt takes that appeal into a different league, and we very much hope that people will bid to win it in our auction – and hopefully, we’ll get a great result.”