CHARD Hockey Club members have certainly played their part in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

There are many key workers - care and social workers, teachers and more besides - within the Chard HC community, and the club wishes to thank all of them for their contribution.

As well as those workers in essential services, the club also has four players who are directly involved in the NHS response to the crisis.

Sasha Taylor is a health care assistant, whose job has involved working on the end of life ward for a local hospital, and directly dealing with patients suffering with COVID-19.

Harvey Dening is a student paramedic who has been continuing with his usual heroic work of ensuring ambulances get to where they need to be.

Chris Timmis works as an anaesthetist, and Chris Knight is a GP; Chard HC’s gratitude goes out of all of them.

If you would like to nominate a ‘club hero’ (or heroes) - who have fulfilled roles in the NHS or essential services, or who have gone above and beyond for their sports club - let us know via sport@countygazette.co.uk.

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CHARD Hockey Club made its own piece of history last Thursday as, for the first time since the club was founded in 1907, it held a virtual AGM.

The meeting was chaired by Hannah McGown, who was elected to the post in April last year, and went without a hitch.

With the annual awards evening cancelled because of COVID-19 restrictions, the meeting was also the platform for the announcement of winners.

The Team of the Year award was shared by Men’s 1st and 2nd XIs in recognition of them both winning promotion, each finishing second in their respective divisions and bouncing back immediately after relegation the previous season.

The award for Club Person of the Year was also shared, between junior development officer Andy Swain and ladies’ squad coach James Spurdle.

Individual awards went to the following members:

Men’s 1st XI Player of the Year - Barnaby Willis; Most Improved Player - George Bromfield

Ladies’ 1st XI Player of the Year - Lyndsay Blackshaw; Most Improved Player - Evie Trafford

Men’s 2nd XI Player of the Year - Jason Goddard; Most Improved Player - Neil Gage

Ladies’ Sunday XI Player of the Year Alice Gibbins; Most Improved Player - Heidi Warren and Jo Gibbins (joint winners)

Men’s 3rd XI Player of the Year - Ollie Saxby; Most Improved Player - Monty Willis

There were also Captain’s Special Recognition awards for 2nd XI players Trevor Goss and Steve Mahoney, and Colt of the Year awards went to Charles Grossey and Kerryn Mullis.

For the junior section of the club, there were Junior Improvement awards for Thea Parsons, Archie Parris, Luc Brown, Kendra Druce, Hatty Souttar-Stone, Dexter Druce, Alice Gibbins, Josh Truscott, Harry Criddle and Finlay Downes.

The club remains in regular contact with England Hockey for guidance and plans as regards a return to training and competitive matches for the 2020/21 season.