THE wood panel manufacturer Kronospan has sponsored the town's brand-new hockey club which has just opened at the Chirk Leisure Centre.

The club, which meets every Sunday morning on the 3G pitch, is currently focusing on teaching children aged four to nine and juniors aged 10 to 16.

The inspiration for the club came from Kronospan employee and Chirk resident Aidan Davidson, who joined the company in 2017 as a young apprentice.

Aidan has extensive experience with hockey both as a player and a coach having played the game since he was four years old and has represented North Wales and played in the Welsh International under-16 and U18s teams.

He said: “I am very grateful to Kronospan for their sponsorship which has been a great help in getting a hockey club up and running in Chirk.

"We started our sessions on May 1 and there has been a fantastic positive response from everyone with the training sessions going really well.”

The youngsters are encouraged to play in teams while also concentrating on the development of their individual hockey skills. The long-term plan is to bring both hockey and walking hockey to the adults in Chirk as well.

Chris Emery, Kronospan director, admitted they were delighted to support the club.

He said: “When Aidan came to us and asked if we would help him get a hockey club going in Chirk, we were delighted to assist. We hope it goes from strength to strength and is enjoyed by the community here.”