Accrington Stanley Community Trust hosts successful business meeting at Wham Stadium

Accrington Stanley Community Trust welcomed local business leaders and partners to their latest Business Meeting at the club’s Wham Stadium on Wednesday 19th November.

The event opened with a warm introduction from Joanna Williams of the Community Trust, who set the stage for an engaging morning. Attendees then heard from Accrington Stanley chief  executive, Warren Eastham, who shared insights into the club’s latest initiatives and ongoing community engagement.

Another highlight of the meeting came from special guest Nick Parry, general manager of the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa, who reflected on the significant progress made at the historic 700-year-old country manor over the past 12 to 18 months.

He outlined how the hotel has transformed its food offering by partnering with local suppliers and investing in a talented team of chefs, while also engaging local tradespeople to support an ongoing refurbishment project.

Parry also discussed future plans, including upcoming investment to enhance the guest experience, and revealed that the hotel is set to serve more than 3,500 covers this Christmas, an increase of more than 2,000 on the previous year.

The formal presentations were followed by a networking session and an exclusive tour of the Wham Stadium, guided by Accrington Stanley Supporter Liaison Officer, Robert Houseman.

Guests had the opportunity to explore the stadium’s facilities and learn more about the club’s sponsorship packages and matchday hospitality offerings.

Warren Eastham, chief executive at Accrington Stanley, said: “It has been a great day, it has been fantastic to see so many new businesses here that will hopefully come back for many months now.

"We learned a lot about our Community Trust, about the women’s football team, about the Supporters’ Trust, and how as a family of businesses we work together.”

Nick Parry, general manager at the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa, said: “It was a pleasure to speak at the event and share the progress we’ve made at the Mercure Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa over the past 12-18 months, from enhancing our food offering with local suppliers to working with local tradespeople on our refurbishment.

"With exciting investment ahead and more than 3,500 Christmas covers booked, 2,000 more than last year, we’re delighted to see such strong support.”

Joanna Williams, partnerships and fundraising manager at Accrington Stanley Community Trust added:” “It was wonderful to have so many businesses supporting both the club and the Community Trust at our final Business Club meeting of the year.

"Gatherings like this highlight the fantastic relationships we thrive on here in Hyndburn, with local companies championing the work of both the Trust and the football club.

“We are incredibly grateful to every member for their continued support throughout 2025, and we look forward to building on this momentum together in 2026.”

If you’d like to sign up to the Business Club, take a look at the website: www.stanleytrust.co.uk/about-us/csr-opportunities/business-club or email Joanna for further information [email protected]

To learn more about sponsorship opportunities with Accrington Stanley, visit: https://www.accringtonstanley.co.uk/commercial