Rochdale AFC Ladies to call Hive home

The Hive at Balderstone will become a home venue for the club for the upcoming season.

Rochdale AFC ladies have reached an agreement with Rochdale Hornets which will see the Hive at Balderstone become a home venue for the club for the upcoming season.

The facility, which boasts two newly laid rugby league pitches alongside the newly refurbed Million Pavilion changing rooms and pavilion, will host the older age groups (under 14s to under 18s) 11-a-side league fixtures in the Greater Manchester Women's North and South Leagues.

Emma Thetford, Rochdale AFC Ladies said: “We are grateful of the support from Rochdale Hornets. Finding facilities for 10 different teams every single week is our biggest challenge every year.

"We made a commitment to our teams when we came out of Covid that we would play games in the borough, but that was proving near impossible until a chance discussion with Rochdale Hornets, who have acquired this great facility and have space over the winter due to the rugby league season running in the summer.

"Matt [Rigby from Rochdale Hornets] has been great to work with, as have the ground staff, in getting things ready – marking pitches, putting in sockets for our new posts and the like. We are looking forward to getting our season underway.”
 

Read more: Hornets' new hive: Rochdale club moves to Million PavilionPublished: 13 June 2024

Ryan Bradley, community director for Rochdale AFC Community Trust, added: “Finding pitch space in the borough is a constant battle for many grass roots team and we are no different.

"It's no secret that we are looking to develop a community football hub within the borough to service all of the teams that play for Rochdale AFC every week but until then we have to split ourselves across a myriad of venues.

"It's great that the Hive can be made available to Rochdale AFC ladies for 2/3 games a weekend as it will allow us to play teams side by side and boost the social benefits that playing football in a team brings for parents and families.

"We look forward to working alongside Rochdale Hornets over the next season as we both look to grow participation in sport in the borough.”

The Rochdale AFC Ladies season kicked off this weekend for six of the teams, with the newly formed under 18s blue, under 16s and under 13s taking to the field at the Hive, Balderstone, for the first time.

To find out more about Rochdale AFC Ladies visit: www.rochdaleafccommunity.org