Club Able To Ferry Its Users Around Thanks To Minibus Donation

Merthyr Town Football Club’s ambition to be a fully-accessible community facility is being supported through the donation of a minibus from a local commercial vehicle dealer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 17-seater bus will be used by the club to carry out in its work across Merthyr Tydfil, as well as helping it transport groups and individuals to the club. It was presented by Tredegar-based David Spear Commercial Vehicles, which has customers across Wales, the West Country and the Midlands. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The club runs a significant number of leisure and sports activities, including a football academy for local youngsters and under-14s, u16s, ladies, disabled, veterans’ and walking football teams. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Organisations set to use the minibus range from the academy teams to Merthyr Tydfil Cricket Club and Merthyr Town Community Project, which has joined forces with the Welsh Football Trust and Active Merthyr team to offer free fun football sessions to 15 primary schools, among other initiatives. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The minibus will be a great asset to the club,” said Business Development Manager Philip Jones. “It will enable us to develop our work in the community, as well as assisting us in bringing the community to the club. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Transport can be a barrier to effective partnership work, but the generosity of David Spear Commercials has now given us a resource to encourage participation and learning.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The vehicle sales company was established more than 25 years ago, having started life with just a handful of vehicles to a successful national business offering vans of all sizes, tippers and 4×4 vehicles. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

General Manager Geraint Yeo said helping local sports clubs had always been a big part of the David Spear culture and the firm was very impressed by Merthyr Town’s £1.8m regeneration project and its ambitious plans. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our history in supporting sport in the area is well documented, hence our decision to provide the minibus to Merthyr Town,” he added. “We are very proud to be involved with this historic club and we look forward to a long and successful working relationship.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

•Over £2m was awarded to the Penydarren Park redevelopment project from the Welsh Government’s Viable and Vibrant Places (VVP) Programme, managed in Merthyr Tydfil by the County Borough Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as an extension to the clubhouse to build the function hall/banqueting suite to accommodate 100-120 people, there is a new sports bar, commercial kitchen, four hospitality boxes, fully refurbished dressing rooms, an IT suite, offices, free Wi-Fi throughout the stadium, increased parking and an improved entrance with new turnstiles. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​