Rhyl football club urges funds amid dog fouling and motorbike issues

Sonia Fleming, who set up Rhyl Commandos JFC in 2011, said that £6,700 is needed to afford the barriers, which would be placed around the pitches on Rhydwen Close.

Dog fouling and motorcyclists have caused issues both on and by the pitches since the club was formed, she said.

About 130 children, aged between four and 15, play for Rhyl Commandos, which was created in memory of Sonia’s late partner, Michael Taylor.

Michael, a former Royal Marine, was killed while serving in Afghanistan in 2010.

READ MORE:

Football coach who set up Rhyl Commandos JFC in memory of partner collects national award

She said: “It (fundraiser for the barriers) is so that the kids are safe to play football. There’s a lot of dog fouling and motorbikes (on the pitch).

“The police have given us £2,000 through PACT (Police and Community Trust) funding, but we need £6,700 in total, by about next week.

“We’re asking businesses to sponsor us, as well, and in return, we’ll put their business’ names on the barriers. We’ve had about four of five sponsor so far.

“At the moment, we still need about £2,000 more.”

A GoFundMe page, which you can donate to, has also been set up at: www.gofundme.com/f/barriers-for-the-football-pitch.

As part of the club’s fundraising efforts, a number of its coaches and players will walk up Snowdon on Saturday (June 17).

This was a feat Sonia completed herself two years ago in memory of Michael, and in aid of both the club and “Scotty’s Little Soldiers”, a charity supporting children whose parents died while serving.

Sonia said the club has until the middle of June to come up with the money before steel prices are due to rise.

She added: “These issues have been going on for as long as we’ve been there.

“The police have been really good, to be fair, but with the motorbikes, there isn’t a lot that they can do.

“All of our teams play on these pitches, so a barrier would be the best thing, just to protect the kids.”