A Portland Football club has repaid the generosity of an islander who gave up his field for the team.

Dave Golding, aged 76, used to rent the field opposite the Windmill Stables off Weston Street, as well as another field on Portland, for the Harlequin and Weston Sports Youth football team.

But Mr Golding handed the land, off Weston Street, over to Galaxy Windows FC after an arson attack in March when manager Andrew Barber offered to revamp the area in exchange for use of the field.

Galaxy Windows Football Club, which has now been training on the land since May, has since held a number of charity matches between its first and reserve team so that a donation of £300 could be made to Mr Golding.

The tenancy agreement between Mr Golding and Stone Firms Ltd, the company that owns the land, ends after Christmas and the pair hope that the field can then be officially handed over to Mr Barber.

At the time of the fire, Mr Golding admitted he had been unable to be as involved with the training sessions in recent years because of ill health and subsequently he said he was pleased that someone had come forward to take over from him.

Mr Barber, 41, said he wanted to do something to ‘give something back’ and thank Mr Golding for everything he had done for Galaxy Windows FC and the local community on Portland.

He said: “What Dave has done has been fantastic.

“He does it for the kids and it is good that someone has been doing something to distract them from getting into trouble over the years.

“We want to support it and help both Dave and the kids of Portland if we can.”

Mr Golding said he appreciated Mr Barber’s donation.

He said: “I am really pleased with the situation and I am happy the field is being used for football.

“I’m still paying the rent until after Christmas but I’m hoping it’s going to be fine to hand the land over officially after then.

“This £300 will help a lot towards paying the rent – I didn’t expect anything.”

DAVE Golding first became involved with young people on Portland when he started helping with the training of Sea Cadets in 1964.

He then went on to form a Sea Cadets football team, Islanders FC, in 1965 which included his then 12-year-old son.

To Mr Golding’s delight, the team came second in the South Dorset under-13s league in their first season.

His work for the community kept on growing and in 1972 he helped form the Islanders Boys Club, now the Islanders Club for Young People, which still operates from its original location at East Weare Road.

He also rented out two fields on Portland to be used for football training sessions, including the field off Weston Street.

In 1978 the then town mayor Peter Harvey presented him with a Queen Elizabeth II Dartington glass tankard in recognition of his work in the community.

Later in 1993 he was awarded a community award by Portland Rotary Club to recognise 30 years of service.