Fifteen founder members formally opened the new extension at Hornets.

HORNETS were disappointed to lose Saturday’s match against Old Patesians to the weather, but the free afternoon enabled the club more time to celebrate the opening of the new facilities at the club.

With everything going so well on the pitch, the first team are riding high in the top four of National League 3SW and the development side currently top of Somerset Division 1, as well as the third team, ladies’ team and mini and junior sections all being in strong positions.

It was great for the wider membership and patrons of the club to take some time out to celebrate the progress being made off the pitch as well as that on the pitch. Of course, it was also an excuse to celebrate the recent historic victory over Weston in the first-ever league meeting of the two clubs.

The club recently took possession of their extension from the builders, Dri-Build. Saturday’s lunch was an opportunity to formally open the facility and take the opportunity to thank Dri-Build, AGM and the many other people who have contributed to making the project a success.

The facility includes new changing rooms, officials’ changing rooms, disabled cloakroom facilities, a treatment/physio room and an indoor training facility.

This is a far cry from the changing facilities in place when the club was formed in 1962 and the players had to travel back to Worle in order to shower and change at the Golden Lion pub.

It was therefore fitting that among the many invited guests to the opening, there were 15 of the founder members of the club and it was these members who formally opened the facility.

After lunch, Peter Costeloe, representing the founder members, made a heartfelt speech about the history of the club, the progress that has been made on and off the pitch and the importance of ‘once a Hornet always a Hornet’.