MOUSEHOLE AFC | BY ROYAL APPROVAL

The Division One South club are still buzzing from their Royal visit

There was a very special visitor to Interiora Trungle Parc, home of Pitching In Southern League Division One South outfit, Mousehole AFC, last week.

HRH The Prince of Wales, Prince William, a keen football fan, dropped by to officially open the new access road to the Cornish club’s home.

We let Mousehole AFC Media Man, Kevin Bishop, take up the story.

“Where the idea to build a new road for Mousehole AFC actually began depends on who you ask,” he admitted. “Our chair, Derek Haywood, remembers playing here over 50 years ago when the thought of a new road was already in the air. More recently, the idea took shape during a walk on a beach near Falmouth. But first, a little background.

“For years, the only way to get to Mousehole AFC has been up a potholed, muddy road through the village of Paul. It meant winding through narrow country lanes and then squeezing through the quiet streets of a small Cornish village. Our local residents have found it increasingly frustrating—and the constant damage to the road from visiting fans, buses, and camper vans hasn’t helped either.

“We’ve tried for a long time to find a way to make things better for everyone. Year after year, potholes were filled, but temporary fixes just didn’t last, especially with the wild Cornish weather out here in the west. Eventually, experts told us the road was beyond simple repair. Luckily, our neighbour, Paul Pond, came up with a brilliant idea—he offered us a slice of land at the edge of his property, just a couple hundred yards, where we could build a new road connecting our car park to the main road at the top of the hill.

“We knew that road would make a huge difference. The only catch? The cost. We first thought it might be around £100,000, but as we found out, making something permanent, functional, and attractive would be much closer to a quarter of a million pounds.

“We launched a fundraising campaign and tried crowdfunding a couple of years ago. While we raised some money, it wasn’t nearly enough to reach our goal, and we had to pause the effort. It was at this point, we kind of lost hope to be honest.”

It was at this time that Kevin went for a walk on a Falmouth beach with local journalist, Rachel Stevenson. About a year ago, Rachel saw the potential for a great story and convinced The Observer to run a full-page article.

Kevin picks the story back up.

“That’s when Prince William stepped in,” he added. “After reading the story, he wanted to help. He reached out to Martin Riley, a local businessman with strong connections in Cornwall’s road building scene, who was vital in bringing all the pieces together.

“Every contractor donated their time, labour, and materials free of charge. It was an amazing example of our club, local businesses, and the Royal Family coming together to achieve something that might never have happened otherwise.

“Prince William talked about this spirit when he visited us to officially open the new road. Lots of clubs have big ideas but often plans stall due to lack of time, energy, or lacklustre support from councils and governing bodies. Crowdfunding can let people down too, but Prince William helped fill the gap and made it real.

“We were over the moon that he got involved, but when we found out he would come down to inspect the finished road himself, our excitement soared.

“The day of his visit was cold and misty. BBC Breakfast arrived at 6am to broadcast live into Breakfast, which got everyone buzzing before dawn. Our committee and volunteers gathered bright and early, putting the final touches on the place, fuelled by plenty of bacon sandwiches, coffee, and tea.

“His arrival was delayed by fog that stopped his helicopter from landing nearby, but when he finally showed up, the atmosphere turned electric.

“Prince William took time to chat with our volunteers, including Darren at the turnstile and Anne, Norma, and Fiona running the tea hut. He also caught up with committee members before meeting our first team and coaches. Local schoolchildren and our youth squads training on the pitch got to spend time with him, along with other students watching from behind the goal.

“After such an incredible day, we still have to pinch ourselves to believe it really happened. The coverage was fantastic, and we hope this momentum helps us attract even more local involvement, commercial opportunities, and investment.

“The road is a magnificent addition to our club, but it won’t meet all our challenges unless we build on this unique opportunity.

“It’s been a wonderful few days for our club—and now we need to make it the start of something really special for Mousehole AFC.”

IMAGE: Jack Tyler

Mousehole Web Site