Orbit Homes donates sales cabin to local sports club in Kent

Orbit Homes has donated a former sales cabin to Mersham Sports Club in Kent to use as a new club house.

Mersham Sports Club, located in Ashford, provides sport and social activity to people of all ages and abilities.

Membership at the club has been increasing steadily over recent years, with football proving to be the most popular sport. There are now over 250 playing members across 16 football teams, including young children, ladies, and adults with disabilities.

As a result of the club’s increasing popularity, efforts were made to try and expand the current facilities, however due to coronavirus, these plans were put on hold. The previous clubhouse was in desperate need of refurbishing and was not fit for purpose, but the pandemic halted plans to build a new one.

This is when Orbit Homes stepped in to help. In December 2020, the sales centre at Riverside Place in Rochester re-located from a portable cabin into one of the stylish river-side apartments. Upon doing so, the portable sales cabin was no longer needed.  Orbit Homes arranged for the sales cabin to be removed from the development, transported and installed at Mersham Sports Club. 

Trevor Dawes, Orbit’s New Build Project Manager, volunteered his spare time to transform the old sales cabin, into a new ‘sports hut’ for the club.

Talking about his involvement in the project, Trevor said: “As a business we are committed to increasing our investment in the communities where we work, by doing business in a more socially responsible and sustainable way.

“When the Riverside Place sales centre re-located last year, we wanted to ensure that the sales cabin we were previously using was put to good use. We’re delighted to see that the former sales cabin will go to a good home and will be of benefit to Mersham Sports Club so Malcolm and the team can carry on their activities safely, and hopefully expand their current facilities in the future.”

Malcolm Smithers, Chairman of Mersham Sports Football Club, added: “The sales cabin generously gifted by Orbit was perfectly timed, as we were eager to refurbish our existing ‘sports hut’. We have installed a ramp onto the new ‘hut’ and have maximised the space inside to provide a social space for members to relax. Trevor was instrumental in the whole process and I can’t thank Orbit enough for the donation of their sales cabin. We look forward to seeing what the future holds.”

For more information about Orbit Homes, including its Riverside Place development, visit: https://www.orbithomes.org.uk/riverside-place/

Photo caption: Malcolm Smithers, Chairman of Mersham Sports Football Club, Catherine Clarke, Marketing Assistant at Orbit Homes and Trevor Dawes, New Build Project Manager at Orbit Homes.