Sutton Sting Ice Hockey Academy given £1,000 funding boost from Mansfield Building Society

The junior ice hockey club, based at Sutton’s Lammas Leisure Centre, offers young children the opportunity to experience a great team-building sport and learn new skills.

This donation will allow the club to purchase a full goaltender kit, giving the children the chance to try all positions across the team, and find their place.

Luke Newman, from SSIHA, said: “The academy is run by volunteers, made up of ex-professionals, parents and former students.

"We play across the UK and we’d like to give these young children everything they need to take part and open the sport to all, regardless of background and family situation.”

Anna Grabas, MBS financial accountant, said: “Competitive sports can be expensive and helping make them accessible to the wider community by providing the club with necessary kit, is valuable to those in our area. We are thrilled to have been able to support the academy and look forward to seeing how the junior team progresses.”

In 2008, the Mansfield-based society set up its community support scheme and, since then, more than £160,000 has been donated to local charities and community groups in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.