A hockey club which lost its home of almost 95 years is fighting for its future by trying to raise money for a new ground.

K Sports Hockey Club has deep roots in Tonbridge and Malling but since Cobdown Sports Ground in Ditton was suddenly sold to football team London City Lionesses on June 17, 2024, it no longer has a permanent home.

After the site’s sale, the hockey club was given 48 hours’ notice to get out, and since then planning permission has been granted for major development of the site.

But the plans fail to include replacement hockey facilities, threatening the club’s future.

Hockey club chairman Matt Sharp and club president Jen Divall say without funding for new grounds, the historic club will simply disappear.

Matt said: “It’s a home we’ve been connected to for coming up 95 years.

“We’re the last hockey club in Tonbridge and Malling borough, and we’re without a home.

“There’s no capacity available in any of the facilities in the borough, so we’re now on the search for a new home, new grounds - a new place to call home.

“Without a new site, the history of the club will literally vanish. It's a long-standing pillar of Kent hockey, south east hockey, and part of England hockey's makeup, so it's something we're desperate to avoid.”

While the club is supportive of London City Lionesses moving to the grounds, Matt says it can’t be at the detriment of other sports within the community.

He explained the hockey club has been “gender balanced” for a very long time and it was now time to raise its profile to try to get support from the community.

Recalling the news the grounds had been sold, Jen said: “It was a shock at the time. I think we were lucky it happened out of season because had it happened in season, I think that would have been it.”

In the past year and a half, the club has suffered dwindling numbers as it now plays all home fixtures at The Thomas Aveling School in Rochester, which means members have to travel outside of Tonbridge and Malling for every match.

Meanwhile, training now takes place at Sutton Valence School in Maidstone.

Jen, who has been with the club for 62 years, says this has had a negative impact on the number of people attending training and therefore the “success of the teams”.

Matt says members are down 50% since the club lost its home, saying “it’s a big drop”.

This also has a financial impact on the club which relies on the income generated by its membership fees.

Now the club bosses have their eyes on an alternative site for a new pitch at Kings Hill Sports Park, but they need funding.

Survey work is currently underway there, and the club hopes to put forward a planning application in the coming months to build a “state-of-the-art” hockey facility.

But, to do this, K Sports Hockey needs the help of the community through investment, donations, volunteering and even players to join the club.

To get a pitch with a separate spectator space, team space, storage and parking, they need to raise £1.3 million. A crowdfunding page has been launched here.

“We can’t continue without a pitch; we can do without everything else for the moment, but we can’t play without a pitch. We’ve got to raise money,” Jen added.

Matt, who has been with the club for 39 years, said: “It’s about keeping the only hockey club in the borough going, maintaining that and getting us back to where we were 18-24 months ago when we were playing in the top teams.

“A facility and a home is key to allowing us to do that”.

Tonbridge and Malling council unanimously approved plans for the transformation of Cobdown sports ground into a football training centre for London City Lionesses on September 25.

The club plays in the Women’s Super League (WSL) against teams such as Arsenal and Chelsea, and the newly promoted side is the only one in the WSL that does not have a men’s affiliate.

Home games are played at The Copperjax Community Stadium in Bromley.

However, K Sports Hockey say the plans proceeded without the implementation of clauses recommended by Sport England, which considered the displaced hockey and croquet clubs.

Matt said: “It's not just about building a new pitch and getting money. It is about the continuation of a club and growing it and then investing in the sports programmes locally.”