AN ESTATE agent which has offices in Horsforth and Pudsey, is supporting the communities in both towns through a new charity partnership and the sponsorship of four children’s football teams.

Horsforth St. Margaret’s Football Club is one of the largest community football clubs in the UK and the estate agent HOP has become the new official shirt sponsor for the under 15s boys and under 7s girls’ teams. The company is also sponsoring training jackets for the under 11s boys’ and under 9s girls’ teams.

The estate agent's Pudsey branch has also formed a new partnership with Pudsey Community Project and become a drop off point for donations to the charity.

The project, led by Pudsey Parish Church vicar Richard Dimery, works alongside Leeds City Council with a team of volunteers to collect food donations for vulnerable people.

Rich Hare, who leads HOP’s sales team in Horsforth, said: “As a successful local business, we’re extremely proud to play a role in the communities that we operate within and lend our support to both Pudsey Community Project and Horsforth St. Margaret’s FC.

“Pudsey Community Project has been a valuable lifeline for many people through the pandemic. Most of those working for the project are volunteers, meaning they are unable to open their facilities every day of the week, so offering our office as a safe place for those who wish to donate is the least we can do.

“We’ve been really impressed with the level of support that the charity receives, and our team have also pulled together to donate food and toiletries to the project.”

He added: “It’s also fantastic to see teams at Horsforth St. Margaret’s FC proudly wearing HOP branded kits for their home and away games, as well as training jackets. We only opened our Horsforth office in May and the support and welcome that we’ve enjoyed from the local community has been inspirational, so this is a wonderful way to show our appreciation.”

Richard Dimery from Pudsey Community Project said: “It’s extremely generous of HOP to accept donations on our behalf and it’s making a genuine difference to people who are struggling in the local area. We’ve seen a continuous high demand for our support running Pudsey Foodbank over the last 21 months and have recently moved our base into larger premises on Fartown in Pudsey.

“This has enabled us to expand our offering, with meeting space and kitchen facilities, where we plan to offer cooking classes and a membership community pantry providing people who are struggling with £15 to £20 worth of food and toiletries for as little as £3.50. However, all these things rely heavily on donations and help from local businesses, and we’re very grateful to have HOP’s support.”

Grant Weir from Horsforth St. Margaret’s U7 girls team said: “Our club is a really important part of the local community that has been promoting grassroots football for 100 years. Kit costs are a significant expense and having HOP’s support makes a real difference. The new kits look superb and wearing smart new matching kits gives the players an additional boost on the pitch, which is fantastic for everyone involved. We also have other teams who have training jackets from HOP too, which clearly helps keep children playing through the colder months.”