Billingham dental practice saves local football club
A Billingham dental practice has come to the rescue of a local football club, which was facing extinction after 99 years.
Queensway Dental, which has been based in the town for 20 years, donated £10,000 to save Billingham Synthonia. The club plays in the Northern League and was established almost 100 years ago.
The club appealed for urgent help recently after a major investor pulled the plug. Thankfully, the owners of Queensway Dental stepped up and the club will now be safe until at least the end of the season.
Paul Dolan, club chair, said that he had a tear in his eye when he heard about the generous donation. The week before the news broke, everyone was dejected and anxious, and now, thanks to the kindness of Queensway Dental, everybody is in good spirits.
Dentist, Dr Ian Lane, said that it was “great” to be able to do something to help locally. The dental firm donates to charities and good causes regularly, but this donation represented something different and “cutting edge” for the group. Billingham Synthonia is more than a football club and it means a lot to local people, including staff and patients at the clinic.
The Synners had already raised almost £5,000 when Dr Lane confirmed the donation from Queensway Dental and Mr Dolan said that he was “totally and utterly humbled” by the response from the community. Donations had flooded in from as far as Australia and New York.
Billingham Synthonia has a rich history, with former players including Brian Clough, Terry Cochrane and Bernie Slaven.
Despite the dentist’s kind donation, Dr Lane confirmed that he will not be donning his boots, joking that he earned the nickname ‘Toblerone feet’ as a youngster due to his performances on the pitch.
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