Stoke Lane AFC have commenced a new chapter for the club as they launched their new home kit at a celebratory event at the Patchway Sports & social Club on 11 December attended by Mayor of Patchway Cllr Daley Lawrence and Vice Chair of the Gloucestershire Football Association Sue Hendon Green.
The new kit is complete with the logos of their new club partners Parkdean Resorts who have made significant contributions to help them provide every one of their 400 players with a new kit. The Mayor of Patchway and Sue Hendon Green presented Parkdean Regional Director Ashley Crawshaw with a framed shirt for the company as a thank you for their support.
Stoke Lane’s new shirt sleeve sponsor is long time supporter of the club Enterprise Business Services. Managing Director Larry Steventon is a former Stoke Lane player and manager who will receive a framed shirt very soon as a gesture of our appreciation.
The club have given the second sleeve over to the memory of a very special former Stoke Lane player who sadly lost his life just over three years ago in December 2020. Luke Wheaton’s life was tragically taken at just 16 years old and the Luke Wheaton Legacy Trust which bears his name now features on their shirts in his memory.
The trustees are members of Luke’s family, Bradley Stoke Community School, North Bristol Rugby Club, Bradley Stoke Youth and Stoke Lane. The trust’s objective is to help, support and prepare disadvantaged young people, regardless of background or disability into skilled work such as apprenticeships by providing training courses, improving skills, communication and providing financial support for tools.
As Luke was passionate about health, fitness and sport the trust offers any financial support that encourages or allows disadvantaged young people to get access to and excel in fitness and sport by providing club funding, sports equipment and sports kit. The club were honoured that Luke’s parents – Matt and Paula - joined the celebratory evening. The Mayor of Patchway and Sue Hendon Green presented them with a framed shirt as a reminder of the regard held for Luke at the club.
Enabling community participation in football for over forty years, chartered standard community football club Stoke Lane was formed in 1979. Affiliated to the Gloucestershire Football Association, the core values are based on being a family-oriented club - with 18 teams playing local league football between the ages of 6 to adult – and helping players fulfil their footballing potential, grow in confidence and build team spirit in a safe and positive environment. The club operate mixed and girls only teams at youth level, senior women at adult level plus pan disability and walking football teams.
The new kit was made possible thanks to the club’s partnership with Joma and Harris Sports Ltd based in Clevedon and the club were pleased to welcome owner Dave Davies to the celebration.
Stoke Lane AFC Chairman John Underhill commented: ‘It is with a sense of pride that we are able to supply every player at Stoke Lane with a brand-new kit so that our club is consistent and easily recognisable across all the age groups, competitions and counties we play in. We couldn’t have made this happen without the diligent efforts of the Stoke Lane committee and our new club partners, to whom we are really grateful.’
Mayor of Patchway Cllr Dayley Lawrence said, ‘I was honoured to be invited as a VIP to this fabulous celebration of Stoke lane AFC’s new kit and wider club community. The new kit looks fantastic and thank you to everyone who supported and made this happen. And to be able to honour Luke’s Wheaton memory on the kit is a wonderful recognition’.
13 December 2023
