STOURPORT Hockey Club is aiming to step up its fund raising efforts in order to find the money needed to resurface one of its pitches.

The club needs to find £120,000 by the end of January next year to sort out one of its aging playing areas.

The popular pitch, which is used each night of the week by one of Stourport’s 20 senior or junior sides, Stourport High School and several junior football teams, was last upgraded a decade ago but now desperately needs resurfacing with artificial grass again.

So far, the National Hockey Foundation has pledged to donate £50,000 if the club find the rest of the cash by the start of 2012.

Stourport have so far generated £15,000 but needs to find roughly another £60,000 in the next eight months in order to pay for a new improved surface.

To help raise money for it, the club are holding an auction of promises at Stourport Sports Centre on Saturday, March 19 (7pm start).

The prizes including a seven-day holiday to Bulgaria, two Land Rovers Experience days, six bottles of wine as well as half a days manual labour from a generous volunteer.

There’s still time for more to be donated, with prizes small or large welcome.

Chairman Holly Lashford said: “The pitch is very popular and really important to the club and the wider community.

“After 10 years of intense use it does need to be replaced with an improved surface.

“The auction of promises is just one way we are raising money for the pitch and any prizes which can be donated we would be grateful for.

“It doesn’t matter if they are only worth a few pound, we want a good range on offer so young or old can take part.”

Anyone interested in donating prizes or attending the auction can call Lashford on 07968 682627.

Meanwhile, Stourport Ladies increased their lead at the top of the Midlands Division One to seven points with a 3-2 win over Olton seconds.

Pippa Lewis opened the scoring but Olton levelled just before half-time.

Jade Marshall-Walker then finished off a classy move to fire Stourport ahead and Sarah Cavendish made it 3-1, before Olton scored late on.

The seconds went down 2-0 at Bridgnorth in the Midlands Feeder West League.

In Worcestershire League Division One, Stourport’s third team beat Droitwich 3-1, with Louis Bagnall, Kerry Walker and Melissa Kennedy scoring.

The fourths lost 4-1 at Harborne fifths in Division Two, with Rosie Connolly scoring a consolation goal.

The fifths went down 3-1 at Bournville thirds in Division Three, with Pauline Knott on target.