Dunton Dynamos in the News - well almost!

The Great Berry Primary School recently held an event to celebrate the construction of their new outside classroom as well as the supply of two new sets of goalposts. The supply of the goalposts was organised by the Dunton Dynamos Football Club and the school working in partnership. The press were on hand to capture the event and the resulting article was featured in the 10th November 2006 edition of the Basildon and Wickford Recorder, a local paper with a circulation in excess of 50,000!

The main part of the event was obviously centred on the launch of the new outside classroom. This classroom was build using funds provided by the Great Berry Friends Association (GBFA), a group formed to help the school in many aspects, including fundraising for such ventures.

Also on display were the new goalposts organised by the Dunton Dynamos Football Club. These are professional standard goals manufactured by the same company that supplies goalposts to Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspurs and other major clubs! The thinking was that if they're good enough for Thierry Henry, they'll be good enough for us!

Events leading up to this event!

At the end of last season, our club began making enquiries about using the Great Berry Primary School playing field as our home ground. The school was very supportive of our approach and this resulted in us striking a mutually agreeable deal. As part of this arrangement, the club agreed to make a contribution towards the purchase of a new set of goals as the original plastic mini-soccer goals were in need of replacement.

The original youth size school goalposts were made from steel and were several years old. Consequently, they were very rusty and in a generally poor state of repair. Indeed the goal originally at the top of the field was so badly corroded that the crossbar had an enormous swerve in it making it six inches lower at the centre of the goal than it was at the sides!

A chance conversation between Paul Stansfield (Club Chairman) and Nick Perchard (County Development Manager at the Essex Football Association) resulted in an approach being made to the Football Foundation for a grant to help with the funding of new goalposts. A joint application was submitted by the school and the club and this was endorsed by Mr Perchard. Several weeks later, a grant was authorised by the Football Foundation for half the total purchase price of the goals. An order was therefore raised with the difference being met by a donation from our club plus an element from the school. The rest (as they say) is history.

We therefore now have two brand new sets of goalposts that meet all the latest safety standards concerning their construction and use. They're made mainly from aluminium so should last for many years to come. The children at the school (many of whom play for Dunton Dynamos' teams) have therefore benefited from this club / school partnership and long may this kind of community-spirited event continue to happen!

The main event

Upon arrival is was very clear that someone had been very busy blowing up balloons - the new classroom contained two huge nets full of red and blue balloons (excellent choice of colours!), each one having a label attached to it. There was one balloon for each child at the school, with each child's name being marked on one of the labels. The plan was for the balloons to be released and a competition would then take place to find the balloon that traveled the furthest. The child whose name was on this winning balloon would presumably win a prize!

Before the balloons were released, the oldest pupil at the school together with the youngest cut the ribbon to declare the outside classroom officially open. This was greeted with rapturous applause from those spectating. Shortly after, the balloons were released to the sound of "oohhh" and "aahhhh" from those present (including some of the children!). As quickly as it started, it was all over. The balloons disappeared over the horizon and the children made their way back to their classrooms to get ready to go home.

Our thanks go to Mrs Morley and Mrs Pipe for organising this event and for inviting the Dunton Dynamos players to wear their team kit in recognition of the efforts of the club. Thanks also for allowing us to use the excellent facilities at the Great Berry School. Out thanks also go to the Great Berry Friends Association for the work they did preparing for this day.

We also like to thank Nick Perchard at the Essex Football Association for his advice and assistance as well as the Football Foundation for supporting our efforts with the grant. Without their involvement this exercise would not have been the success it clearly has been. Here's to many happy years of football at the Great Berry School!

The following pictures were taken on the day by Dunton Dynamo's own roving reporter...