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Apprentices scrub football club

Darlington Football Club is set to be spick and span for the new season, thanks to a group of young apprentices.

Nordic Pioneer cleaning specialists and training providers responded to requests to give the club a mini-makeover this summer, and have organised a group of young apprentices working as part of the Urban Blitz programme to help out at the club.

The apprentices will be given a wide variety of jobs at the club, including painting, grass-cutting and other general cleaning areas.

General manager of Darlington FC, Alan Murray, said: “The apprentices are performing all of the maintenance work here, which is saving the club a lot of money and we are truly grateful for this.”

“Many of them are fans, so they can see the benefits of their work. If the situation was different we would definitely consider employing them as full time staff because of their enthusiasm and positive attitudes.”

The cleaning scheme organised by Nordic Pioneer has also provided apprentices with work experience opportunities, as well as the chance to undertake various qualifications and vital training, such as first aid and health and safety training,

Robert Hodgson from Darlington is one of the apprentices helping out at the club. He said: “ I became an apprentice for Nordic so I could gain more qualifications and I feel really privileged to be working with Darlington Football Club.“

All the hard work was definitely worthwhile for the apprentices – they have now been given free tickets to football games next season.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .