Baldock Town FC - #OurTown #OurTeam #OurClub

Aim

Baldock Town FC has been hit hard by COVID-19, please help us raise £10,000 to allow the club to survive through this pandemic.

Our Challenge

A huge thank you to everyone who has pledged to our fundraising campaign seeing us reach our initial target of £10,000 in the first two weeks. We have now set a stretch target of £20,000 to be raised by 25th December. The Committee have agreed to utilise any additional funds pledged against the following:

1) The creation of a Hardship fund for our Youth and Academy players.

2) Replacement of kit and equipment for the 2021-22 season. The club spent over £2,000 on balls alone last season.

3) Investment in our Academy and Coaches to attain higher qualifications.

4) 10% of all stretch funds raised will be donated to our friends at BTYFC

With you help raising these extra funds the club will be able to invest further in the future of our youth in Baldock.

Like most football clubs, Baldock Town FC has been financially hit by COVID-19 and struggles to survive. All our planned fund raising events have been cancelled, and through a combination of lockdowns and match day COVID restrictions we have limited revenue and increased costs. 

It is critical the club can survive through this latest lockdown and pandemic to ensure all age groups can get back to playing football.

We are looking to raise £10,000 to safeguard the future of our club and as a not for profit members club you can be sure all donations will be spent on keeping all our teams running through this difficult period and beyond.

Our Aim

Our aim is to continue providing social and physical activity to both children and adults as a way of improving our community health, wellbeing, and social interaction. There is also a certain amount of discipline that is required to play any team sport and football helps shape individuals morality and sense of being part of something special, resulting in well rounded individuals who are an asset to our community.

Hats of to the wonderful people at Sport England who have pledged £3,000 to our appeal as long as we reach our £10k target, making all your donations worth even more. Huge thanks must go to Sport England who have supported not only us but hundreds of other projects up and down the country.

How YOU Can Help

• Make a donation that you can afford
• Buy a reward
• Spread the word to your friends, family and on social media
• Business donations would also be welcome, please ask your employers to support our cause!

Our New Youth Sporting Academy

Before the pandemic, Baldock Town invested in setting up a youth sporting academy open to boys and girls of mixed abilities. This did not exist in Baldock before our club set it up and the youth of the community had to travel to surrounding towns to enjoy this physical, social and mental activity. The club offers support to any family that are not in a financial position to send their child, therefore, providing every boy and girl in Baldock equal opportunity to join the academy and get active.

The pandemic has halted our plans of developing this into a multi sport academy, however, with the right support and when safe, we intend to reintroduce this academy and expand across all sports and age groups which has been widely supported by a number of high profile sporting professionals. 

Arsenal & England legend Paul Merson drops in to talk to a group from the academy

Our Proposed Facility 

Before COVID-19 we had advanced and realistic plans to bring the club back into Baldock after 20 years of having to rent venues and sporting facilities outside the town. These plans and fundraising activities have halted with no return in sight due to COVID-19, the club simply has to survive through this pandemic to achieve its dream. Our proposed plan is to build a multi purpose venue to include: Football, Rugby, Hockey, Netball, Cricket and fitness studio. It is intended the proposed Club venue will be used by the local community and will add much needed social and leisure facilities to the town.

Proposed Plans of A New Multi Sports Community Venue 

Our Subsidised Community Events

Before the pandemic the club hosted a range of subsidised community events which included Family Fun Days, Bike Rides, Celebrity Fitness Sessions through to Afternoon Tea and Social Gatherings.

It is critical the club raises funds and survives through this crises so we can resume these much needed events for the local community.

Rewards 

We have some great rewards, all donations to our appeal will be greatly appreciated and go towards securing our clubs future

Additional Information About Baldock Town FC

The town of Baldock, in North Hertfordshire, England, is a rural market town with a rich history dating back to the Iron Age. The original Baldock Town FC were based right in the middle of the town and were formed in 1905, rising towards the end of the century to play at the high level of the Southern League, regularly attracting crowds of between 700 and 1000 people.

The new Baldock Town FC was formed in 2003 and had to start at the very lowest level of Hertfordshire leagues and played their first matches on the local high school playing fields. Every year since then has been a progression, gradually building the team and resources, gaining regular promotion through the Leagues up to where they are now playing in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division (step 5 in the non-league football pyramid).

The club now has a first team and a reserve side who compete in the Hertfordshire Senior County League, with youth teams at U18, U16, U14 and U13 levels in the Eastern Junior Alliance and an Academy open to all abilities for U8's to U16's. The aim of the club is to get local adults and children involved in playing football as a way of improving our community health, wellbeing, and social interaction. There is a certain amount of discipline that is required to play any team sport and football helps shape individuals morality and sense of being part of something special, resulting in well rounded individuals who are an asset to our community.

Unfortunately the original Baldock Town FC lost their ground when they folded in 2001 and we have led a nomadic existence at times over the years, playing home matches in outlying towns including Letchworth, Stotfold, Hitchin and Arlesey. However we are proud to represent the town of Baldock and to provide an opportunity for players from the town to play football at a senior level. Many of our U18 and U16 players have appeared in the 1st team and reserves this season proving the clubs continued dedication to our youth teams.

The Board have realistic and aggressive plans to bring the club back into Baldock and are actively pursuing a number of options for a multi purpose venue to include: Football, Rugby, Hockey, Netball, Cricket and fitness studio. It is intended the proposed Club venue will be used by the local community and will add much needed social and leisure facilities to the town.

However, in the very short term we are just looking to survive until the end of this current season and to start up for 2021-22. It actually costs in excess of £20,000 a season to run the 1st team alone - players receive no financial payment for playing and all the committee members are volunteers, happily giving up their time for the club they love. With a loss in sponsorship revenue and being unable to rely upon our usual fundraising activities, we are not ashamed to admit that we need help. 

We want #OurTown to have the football club it deserves and can be proud of. 

We look to #OurTeam to be the best it possibly can be. 

We hope to see #OurClub continue to thrive. 

Baldock Town FC - #OurTown #OurTeam #OurClub 

This project successfully funded on 4th January 2021