Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins visited the HUB at the SMH Group Stadium this afternoon for an insight into the Community Trust’s activities.
Commenting on his visit, Toby said: “It was great to get and speak to Jayne [Bacon] and to just see the variety of different contributions that the Trust makes to the well-being of the town. From meeting groups of older people who are using the HUB as a community centre, seeing the alternative provision, working with children who are at risk of exclusion, seeing the charitable work that goes on in the Trust.
“The Community Trust just acts like the glue that holds the whole town together. It is very much sort of the hub of the community, whether someone’s young, old, whether someone’s been in education.
“The Trust is run by people who’ve got the interests of the town at heart but also understand the role that the football club can play in that.”
Toby, who attended last night’s victory over Doncaster Rovers, said: “I think that the team have acclimatised to life in the Football League again really well. Obviously, very unlucky with injuries this season, but absolutely I believe that if they’re not promoted this year, then they will be next year.”
Mike Goodwin, chairman of the Trust and the club, was present for the MP’s visit. He said: “It’s been brilliant to have Toby down here to see the work that the Trust carries out. I’ve said on a number of occasions that the football club is part of the DNA of the town and the Trust follows that model as well.
“The amount of work that we actually do in the community with different organisations is fantastic and very important to the town. It was important that we actually got that across to Toby so that he could help out whenever we needed that support going forward.”