A local businessman and a grassroots football coach have teamed up to donate a stretcher to a venue in Carlisle following a young footballer's injury.
Tony Hope is the head of girls' at Warwick Bridge-based grassroots football club and with the help of a local business, has secured the donation of a stretcher to Harraby 3G in Carlisle.
The donation of the stretcher comes weeks after an incident during a fixture which Tony was overseeing in recent weeks, when a 13-year-old player unfortunately dislocated her kneecap during the game.
According to Tony, with an estimated ambulance waiting time of 'two hours', coaches and volunteers at the match focused on 'keeping the young player as comfortable, warm, and reassured as possible'.
Although a wheelchair was available on site, Tony and fellow coaches felt that moving the player into it could risk causing further discomfort given the nature of the injury. No stretcher was available.
For Tony, the moment felt especially personal, having dealt with a similar injury involving his own daughter, Tyne, last November.
"When you see a young player in pain, you just want to ensure you’re doing everything possible to protect them," Tony said.
"Harraby 3G is a fantastic facility that serves a huge number of teams and community groups."
"Like many grassroots venues, it works hard to provide what’s needed for weekly sport.
"However, this incident made me reflect on how we could improve things going forward for everyone who uses the facility."
After the incident, Tony was determined to help improve the facility and following a conversation with friend Jason Barnes, a local businessman and proprietor of Dalston Taxis, the former had offered to fund the £200 cost of a professional stretcher for Harraby 3G.
This was a gesture of generosity that Tony called, 'incredible'.
He said: "I am incredibly grateful for the generosity Jason has shown. He didn’t hesitate — he simply wanted to help.
"That says a lot about him and about the strength of our local community. This isn’t about pointing fingers; it’s about people coming together to make something good even better.”
"What began as an unfortunate injury has ultimately resulted in a positive step forward — a reminder that in grassroots sport, community spirit remains one of its greatest strength."
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