Maidstone Roller Hockey Club raising money for new floor at YMCA Leisure Centre in Loose

Additional reporting by Henry Luck

A sports club says it “will not survive” if it cannot raise £25,000 for a new floor in the next three months.

The Maidstone Roller Hockey Club, which trains at the YMCA Leisure Centre in Loose, says the surface needs to be re-varnished and re-sealed in order for it to continue playing.

The YMCA says refurbishment works are due to begin at the start of January, after £25,000 was raised from its sponsors.

But the roller hockey club claims the flooring they plan to install is “not suitable” for their sport.

As such, they have been given three months to raise an additional £25,000 to install what they call “suitable flooring”.

Organisers of the club say the sport is vital for keeping children off the streets, building teamwork skills, and promoting an active lifestyle.

Secretary Emma Weeks, 50, explained: “It's just the general wear and tear from over the years.

“We obviously don't want to lose this sports hall because it is quite hard to find anywhere locally that will allow you to play roller hockey.”

Coach Kevan Berry, 68, added: “Our club gets a lot of use out of the floor, and we'd like it to be in pristine condition so that our children don't get injured while we're playing, and we can make full use of the facility for all sports, not just roller hockey.

“As is standard with most sports halls, they do need revamping, and unfortunately, it costs quite a lot of money.

“Without that funding, our small club will not survive, which will be a terrible shame.”

The non-profit club, which has trained generations of England players at the centre for more than 50 years, since 1973, has set up a fundraiser and donations can be made here.

Matilda Bonnington has been training at the centre weekly for the past seven years.

The 16-year-old said: “Because of coming here, I've been able to play for England and play for the region.

“I really hope that we're able to raise enough money. [Without the club] I probably wouldn't be playing anymore.”

Ollie Jensen-Gorhan, 16, says the club has helped to support him over the years.

He said: “I've had plenty of positive experiences with the club. They've helped me push through tougher times when I've felt down.

“The sense of camaraderie we build as a team really helps to create a really positive ecosystem throughout the club.

“I have all the hopes that they'll raise the right amount of money, because I really enjoy playing with the club.”

Matthew Ellis, 12, started playing roller hockey around a year ago and says it has been a “truly remarkable experience”.

He added: “All the coaches here are really amazing. We're asking all the parents and everyone to donate some money to help the club out.

“Even some people from other teams have donated. We just need donations, otherwise we won't be able to play.”

Dean Foreman started playing roller hockey when he was 12, and ended up playing for Great Britain until he was around 30.

When he was around 35, he moved away from the sport and now helps to coach children at the centre.

The now 56-year-old explained: “It's a phenomenal place for children, it gives them a real purpose

“I've been part of the club since 1981, and it's always been exactly the same. It’s almost like an extended family.”

Dean, whose son Frederick, 10, now plays the sport, says raising the money for the new floor is “imperative”.

“It would be a travesty if these children couldn't experience what I did growing up in the same place,” he added.

“It would be a real shame. So it's vitally important that we are successful”.

The Trustees of Maidstone YMCA say that, following a meeting with the club, they have “reviewed several scenarios to achieve the best outcome for both parties.”

They explained that their aim is to minimise costs for the club whilst ensuring that Maidstone YMCA is “not left negatively impacted by the accelerated wear to the main hall floor and centre in general when such a high impact sport is played in a facility not originally designed for such activities.”

They added: “Feedback from our flooring supplier, alongside our own research, confirms that the reduced lifespan of the floor surface results from accelerated damage caused by the high-impact nature of roller hockey.

“As a charity with limited funds and no government or local council support, we must balance protecting our resources with continuing to support the valuable community impact that Maidstone Roller Hockey provides. We remain committed to finding a fair, sustainable way forward together.

“To that end, we have asked that Maidstone Roller Hockey fundraises £7,500 towards the refurbishment of the main hall floor, not a replacement new floor, in recognition of the accelerated damage now being repaired, and provide suitable cushioning to protect the back walls.

“Looking ahead, to manage future wear and ensure ongoing maintenance, we have proposed a small rent increase of £5.58 per hour, effective once the refurbishment is completed in January 2026.

“This modest uplift will contribute directly to future refurbishments and help prevent similar issues recurring in the coming years.

“On this basis, we would be happy to confirm our commitment to Maidstone Roller Hockey continuing at the Maidstone YMCA Centre in Loose for many years to come.

“We are delighted to acknowledge the outstanding support of our sponsors, who helped raise £25,000 alongside generous contributions from Sport England and the National Lottery.

“Refurbishment works are scheduled to begin in early January 2026, and we look forward to welcoming our customers back to experience the benefits of our newly refurbished floor.

“To date we have not heard from Maidstone Roller Hockey if this solution is acceptable.”