As everyone knows from the the AGM and various communications, the club has some really exciting plans to fast track the building of dramatically better net facilities, changing facilities, drainage and also implement various other initiatives such as electronic scoring and live streaming of matches.

None of these come for free and in the case of the nets, top pitch changing room and a drainage solution the cost is significant (£200k). At the awards evening Stef and the committee asked the membership to try and step up to make these things happen.

In many cases, the clubs ability to access grants is subject to proving it is doing its upmost to get funding itself. Currently there are a number of ways all members can help - certainly in the case of the latter two, the impact can be huge and it will take absolutely minimal effort.

How can I help?

1) Electronic Membership System
For 2025, the club will be implementing a membership card scheme. The plan is for the club to negotiate member discounts / benefits with small local businesses in return for a donation to the club infrastructure fund. The scheme should therefore benefit both the business and the membership.

Our initial plan is to request a donation of £100 from the business. In return they should offer a perk for anyone showing their electronic membership card (e.g. 10% if spending over £20 etc).

2) Easy Fundrasing
Take up on this initiative to date has frankly been really poor. To date only £100 has been raised and this has come largely through 3 individuals.
As an example, price comparison sites such as Money Supermarket / Go.Compare will give an £18 donation if an insurance is bought through them and their site is opened through the easy fundraising link. If even half our members get their home / car insurances through the site the donation to the infrastructure fund could be huge.

3) Pitch-Hero Lottery

For just £10 a month the new club lottery will give you 5 chances to win £5,000 and one chance for £25,000!
Most importantly £6 of the £10 will go straight to the club and can therefore be classified as ‘match funding’ for any future grant applications. This is massively important for the potential success of these funding requests as it shows the club is not simply going cap in hand to these organisations with zero effort to raise money from our side.

If we can get just 30 members signed up this will equate to over £2,100 per year with minimal effort!!

We cannot stress enough, the more the club pulls together the quicker things will move in terms of getting the absolute best facilities that we all want and deserve…