A message to the England Ice Hockey community from CEO Henry Staelens.
Thank you to everyone who attended Monday evening’s AGM. It was fantastic to see so many voting members engaged, and we hope you found the session useful.
As promised, we are collating questions and publishing clear answers as we continue to strengthen the infrastructure, governance standards and measurable outputs of England Ice Hockey.
If you have additional questions, please email memberservices@englandicehockey.com and we’ll include them in the next Q&A round-up.
Below are initial responses to a few of the themes raised on the night:
Q: DOPS junior rule/procedural changes and women’s competitions with junior players
A: Thank you for flagging this. We have issued a short clarification note to WNIHL clubs with junior players (and to junior clubs) this week, summarising how the junior updates apply where juniors participate in women’s competitions and highlighting any competition-specific procedures.
Q: Ice time, rink availability and facilities strategy
A: We recognise rink capacity is a major constraint across the country. In parallel with ongoing discussions with public and private stakeholders on facilities investment, we launched the NHL Street partnership to introduce up to 30,000 children to hockey each year – creating a clear pathway from street to ice.
We’re also exploring synthetic ice pilots in local communities to support skills development while we pursue long-term rink solutions. We’ll share progress updates as these conversations advance.
Q: Leadership and governance through the refresh/merger
A: Since 2023, the sport has undergone significant governance change. Ice Hockey UK appointed its first CEO, refreshed its board and governance. England Ice Hockey has restructured and appointed four new independent non-executive directors.
Both organisations are now public-funding code compliant – a key foundation for trust and future investment.
As merger work progresses, there will be sensible adjustments to ensure members have a clear voice through the board and new advisory groups.
Q: Para pathway
A: Absolutely. Our discussions with UK Sport and Sport England include targeted support for para, with aims to grow participation and compete consistently at the highest level, including regular Paralympic qualification.
We will publish the finalised accounts shortly and notify members when they are live, alongside a written Q&A addressing additional questions received after the AGM.
We will shortly announce a series of member Town Halls (virtual drop-ins) to continue the conversation around Project Clarity and wider priorities.
These sessions will provide open Q&A and the chance to contribute directly to the next phase of work.
Thank you again for your engagement and support.
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