Members of Stagecoach North East’s Hartlepool depot have changed buses for football boots and are making great strides as they fight for a place in the finals of the National Walking Football Championships.
Ten employees from the local bus operator are part of the Seaton Carew Strollers walking football team, which was set up in January of this year by Stagecoach Deputy Duty Manager and vice chairperson Carl Sweeting, and are taking on the Leggy Mambos from Barnsley in the semi-finals of the national walking football league this weekend.
The Seaton Carew Strollers have a tough challenge, as the competitors are the reigning national champions of England and unbeaten in all domestic and national competitions since forming in Jan 2014. So the team are encouraging the public to come and support them at the semi-finals on Sunday 27th September at the JD Sports Domes in Seaton Carew, which kicks off at 1.30pm.
Carl Sweeting said: “It’s fantastic news that the champions of England have agreed to come to the home of the dome. Walking football is growing as a sport and leisure activity, but it also needs change to help it grow in popularity, and we are going to help change it!”
The Seaton Carew Strollers team has progressed through the regional zone by beating South Shields Saints both home and away, and then went on to beat Newcastle Blue Flames in the northerly regional quarter finals to reach the semi-final head to head tie with Leggy Mambos.