National Semiconductor’s finance director, Adrienne McGlynn, (centre) with members of the Greenock Hockey club at the summer school at Glenpark.

NATIONAL Semiconductor (UK) Ltd has donated £3,500 to Greenock Hockey Club to help them in their drive to encourage school children to become involved in the sport.

A portion of the funding has been used to fund a summer camp for primary school children.

The lack of hockey, both within schools and as an after-school activity, means far less children are taking part. Over the past two years, Greenock Hockey Club has been actively promoting and developing hockey in a limited number of Inverclyde secondary schools as an alternative interest for teenage children.

National Semiconductor’s sponsorship will allow the club to widen its coverage to all local secondary schools where they will look to spend two to three hours a week over a five to six week period to give all children the opportunity to play.

Adrienne McGlynn, finance director at National Semiconductor, said:  “Hockey is a fun, fast-paced team sport that can be played by boys and girls. With the Commonwealth Games coming to Glasgow in 2014, there is even more incentive to get involved in the sport because the world’s best hockey players will be taking part in The Games – and possibly some of the older children might be taking part in the Commonwealth Games themselves!

“National Semiconductor is delighted to support Greenock Hockey Club in making the game available to as many local schoolchildren as possible.”

Peter Hempsey, president of Greenock Cricket Club, of which Greenock Hockey Club is one of the sporting sections, added: “National’s sponsorship is a major boost to the hockey club as it will enable us to reach far more children in Inverclyde than before.

“The summer school which took place at Inverclyde Academy during May and June attracted a number of new junior members to the club. We look forward to continuing our work with secondary school pupils in the new term and are currently in discussion with Inverclyde Council regarding this tremendous sponsorship opportunity.

“Our experience of working with Gourock High School and Greenock Academy was very rewarding and we look forward to reaching a whole new group of children at the other secondary schools in Inverclyde.”

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