WHERE THERE'S HOPE THERE'S FOOTBALL

Got to go to the Peak District today, for a Swanwick Hall School reunion_my better half's old school. Chelmorton is the venue, meeting at the pub in the village and no doubt I shall have to earn my ale by walking a few ks beforehand.

So what about Peak District football? I could bang on about Glossop North End again-see previous blogs, but there is football in the heart of the countryside, such as at Tideswell which is pretty much central to the area and runs a few teams including a Vets XI, open age and juniors.

Even Eyam, the plague village, has a team and there is no shortage of possibilities of getting a game in one of our most luxurious National Parks.

I was not surprised to read in the local paper that recently, Andrew Bingham, the local MP, joined with 80 youngsters in a training session with “top flight” coaches from QPR, supporting a local community project in the Hope Valley. One of the great sights in the valley is the “Cathedral of the Peak”, the Hope Cement Works that gives much needed employment to the locals but also creates a significant eyesore in what is one of the most beautiful valleys in the region.

Yes, London is a long way away but Chairman of the Hope Construction Materials Company, Amit Bhatia, happens to be a co-owner of QPR.

Stephen McCarthy and three other coaches from the London club, travelled from the city and spent time working with U8 and U9 squads, helped by local club coaches and parents.

Local villages and towns invited to join in were Bradwell, Tideswell, Eyam, Baslow, Bakewell and Buxton.

Hope Works laid on refreshments and there was a mini tournament at the end for the young boys and girls to show off their skills.

McCarthy was delighted to spread the QPR word and also to have an opportunity to get out of Shepherd's Bush and ply his trade in a rural environment, for a change!