Pamela Cowey's two decades of dedication to Bishop Auckland FC is her way of giving back to the club that sparked her love of football.

Cowey has been a volunteer at the Pitching In Northern Premier League Division One East side for almost 20 years, playing an instrumental role in helping to raise money and plan for the opening of Heritage Park, where the club have resided for the last 14 years.

Yet despite her lengthy tenure, her love for the club and the game remains as strong as it ever was.

“It was really when Bishop Auckland left their home in Kingsway, and we were nomadic," she said. "We were sharing grounds, renting space at some other local football clubs and because we were no longer in our home it was difficult to get the crowds in, so any bit of raising money we could was vital.

“I was doing things like raffles and selling programmes at the gates, literally pitching in and seeing what bits I can do to try and raise a bit of money so that's how I got started.

“At the same time my husband John was volunteering, and he was working on the level of trying to get us a new ground so it was a bit of a team effort between the two of us trying to do what we could.

“The reason I started watching Bishop Auckland was because of him. When we were teenagers and started going out, I went to the occasional match and got into football because of watching Bishop Auckland and I go all the time now.

“I've grown to love football and he's kind of sparked something in me. It's nice, it's something to do together and we both have this big interest in football and we both love this football club and want to do our best for that club.”

Cowey is one of countless volunteers who play essential roles at non-league clubs across the country, with opportunities to get involved now available through the Pitching In Volunteer Hub.

Through entering their postcode, individuals can locate volunteering opportunities at nearby clubs and discover more details about which roles are available.

Cowey revealed that Bishop Auckland will always have an open door for those willing to get involved.

She added: “We're a great club, a real community of people who work together to do their best for the club and in the grand scheme of things trying to do our best for the town in terms of football provisions and making it a nice place to watch football and get involved.

“In non-league, you've got to have every other chance you can to earn a few extra quid to keep the players on the pitch and keep the stadium running correctly and the ground in the great state it is in the moment.

“We've got a great little team but just like any football club or any organisation we're always looking for new volunteers, new blood, people coming in with different ideas.” 

Find volunteering opportunities at your local club by visiting https://pitchinginvolunteers.co.uk/