December 2025 

It’s Finally Time!

As the year comes to a close, we couldn’t be more excited to share that our very first Hackney on Ice pilot is about to begin at Gainsborough Primary School this January.

Gainsborough has been absolutely incredible from the very start. Their leadership team have shown real enthusiasm, curiosity and commitment to trying something new. The support we have received from the school has been exceptional, and it already feels like we are building something meaningful together. Their values around inclusion and opportunity align so closely with ours that this partnership already feels like the perfect beginning.

When we deliver the floorball kit and reading challenge books this month, it will mark the start of a journey we’ve dreamed about for a long time — a pathway for Hackney pupils to build confidence, teamwork, and maybe even discover a sport they never imagined themselves trying. This is more than a pilot. It is a moment where a community comes together to make opportunity real.

We will also admit that we are quietly keeping our fingers crossed that Father Christmas brings us good grant news this winter. With the right support, we will be able to take the programme from school halls to the ice itself, giving children the full experience that inspired the creation of Hackney on Ice in the first place.

A Turning Point for Grassroots Ice Hockey

There is also a real sense of movement nationally. England Ice Hockey recently shared an important update as part of their Together As One work — an effort to bring the entire sport together across all levels, from grassroots development to the national stage.

You can read more about their plans here:
https://englandicehockey.com/together-as-one-eih-notice-of-meeting-and-special-resolution-published/

We would like to fully support this direction. Grassroots ice hockey has needed clearer pathways, more coordination and stronger development structures for a long time. If the community continues to push in the same direction, 2026 could be the year things start to turn for the better across the whole sport. We are proud that Hackney is contributing to that wider effort.

Shoutout to The Skate Works

We also want to give a special mention to The Skate Works, who are working tirelessly to develop hockey through both ice and inline pathways. Their commitment to grassroots growth mirrors our own, and their efforts show what is possible when passionate people commit to community-led development. This kind of shared ambition is exactly what the sport needs to grow stronger from the ground up.

Looking Ahead

January will bring our first sessions at Gainsborough, and we genuinely cannot wait to share every part of the journey — the first passes, the teamwork, the laughter, and that moment when a child realises they can do something they didn’t think was for them.

To everyone who has supported Hackney on Ice so far, thank you. You are helping turn a local idea into something with the potential for real, lasting impact.

It’s finally time.

#HackneyOnIce #GrassrootsHockey #TogetherAsOne #HackneySport #InclusiveSport #TheSkateWorks #GainsboroughPrimary #IceHockeyUK #CommunitySport

NOVEMBER 2025