With the new Light-Emitting Diode (LED) floodlights now installed and fully functioning at the main club house, it only seems right to say a huge thank you to all our members, parents and guardians that were in a position to contribute to the new lights through last seasons through deciding not to take up the opportunity of a subs deduction for 20221-2022 season. This combined with a generous donation from the OC Society has made a vast improvement to the lighting on the pitch. The improvement in LED technology also means the light pollution is vastly decreased and they require less energy to run, both of which are far better for our environment.
These new lights replace the halogen lights which had been in place since the pitch was laid in 1993. Over the past few years, it had becoming increasingly obvious that the previous lights were not fit for purpose for evening matches or training sessions, with a number of ‘’black spots’ across the pitch. With the new lights they can be turned up to full brightness and now adhere to England Hockey’s lighting requirements for top flight hockey.
While none of this would have been possible without the donations received, we must also thank Cato Choi for his efforts in seeking the best possible solution for the club both in terms of technology but also cost. The installation was seamless and the compliments from other clubs reflects how much of a difference the lighting has made. All of this work is done voluntarily like many roles across the club and should be recognised as it demonstrates what is great about OCHC.