Building Back Better at Tristar FC

Aim

Tristar FC want our club to grow and prosper. This project will help us increase the capacity of our club and create new opportunities.

Who are we?

Tristar FC are a grassroots football club based in Derry City. We provide training and matches for over 400 boys and girls on a weekly basis, with volunteers helping with the management, coordination, and delivery of all our programmes. We don't have our own facilities, so we rely on hiring pitches to enable children and young people to have regular participation in sports activities. 

Community impact

Tristar are much more than just a football club. Our weekly activities provide an opportunity for young people to improve their physical and mental health, their social skills and develop friendships in a safe and welcoming environment. The families of players are part of our club too - they provide transport, coaching and support to the players as part of our wide sporting family. Each week, volunteers provide over 100 hours in volunteer time to enable children to play football.

How has Covid 19 impacted our Club? 

Prolonged periods of lockdowns and restrictions negatively impacted on our club and the community we serve. From a club perspective, our income streams were reduced as we were unable to provide services to our players during periods of lockdown - we also had to put in place measures to work within Covid 19 guidelines, which put additional strain on finances and resources to ensure the safety of players and volunteers. We also felt a duty of care to the players and tried to stay in touch with them as best we could, via online methods or phone calls. As a result of the Covid 19 pandemic, Tristar had an overall reduction in the number of members returning to play and the number of volunteers involved in our club were reduced upon the return to play. Upon the return to play, we have also noticed that players' fitness levels were impacted due to the reduced levels of physical activity, with children also feeling a sense of disconnection, anxiousness and lack of confidence.

Through this project, we are seeking to deliver a new and innovative programmes for our community, to help overcome the impact of Covid 19. These ideas will include the creation of new taster and come try it sessions to engage new members, outside of our normal programmes, especially targeting girls. We also plan to deliver an innovative volunteer development programme to attract new volunteers from all sections of our community, providing them with the skills needed to confidently contribute and play an active role in their community. The volunteer development programme will also include the upskilling of existing coaches who support their role within the club. 

Why are we crowdfunding?

We are crowdfunding to help the club overcome challenges which they are faced with because of the Covid 19 pandemic and to help attract new members, or reengage children again who have dropped out of sports due to the pandemic. 

We are crowdfunding to:

- Create new weekly football programs for boys and girls to attend, which will be run in addition to our existing programs and services. We plan to provide weekly ‘come try it sessions’ periods for girls and boys. This will provide 4 hours per week for 30 weeks at local facilities, helping to provide opportunities for new girls and boys, and those currently disengaged or not involved in sports. Funding will assist with the costs of hiring appropriate facilities. 

- To purchase equipment and resources, such as balls, bibs, cones, and poles to support the delivery of these football sessions. Funding will reduce the costs for players and their families, reducing barriers to participation in sports at Tristar. 

- To provide a new coach development program to support the needs of our existing coaches and attract new coaches. Funding will support the costs of upskilling through IFA qualifications and provide volunteer coaches with resources to do their job safely and comfortably. 

- Develop new teams within the club at various age groups, supporting their full integration into club activities. Funding will assist with the costs of setting up teams and providing kits for them to play matches and represent the club. This will be directly linked to our new sports sessions and volunteer development program, ensuring we have the capacity to start and sustain new teams.  

The Crowdfunder initiative will help towards the costs of these new programs which will help our club to build back better from Covid 19. 

The project will increase participation in sports and physical activity, enabling more female players to access football activities and join a team. We feel that with improved capacity and upskilling, volunteers can provide better services for all areas of our club. 

Being part of a team helps promote a strong sense of self-esteem, encourages new friendships, brings a feeling of belonging and increases confidence. Donations will ensure we can continue to sustain our activities, increase physical fitness, develop good mental health, and maintain a positive attitude. Children will continue to build relationships with their coaches and teammates.

How we’ll spend the money raised

Our target for fundraising is £10,000. We know it's ambitious, but feel we can get there with our support and it will help to improve sporting opportunities for the local community. 

Funding will go towards the following items which will benefit all age groups within the Club.

- Venue Hire Costs

- Sports equipment. 

- To upskill and educate our volunteers

- Staff Costs

Your pledge in supporting our Club will be hugely beneficial to the sustainability of Tristar FC, ensuring we can continue to go from strength to strength. 

How you can play your part?

There are four simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Don’t delay if you’re going to support us because momentum is key to our success!

2. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

3. Offer rewards. Get involved if you are a local business by donating things we can offer to our supporters. We will give you a shout out!

4. If you want to run your own fundraiser to support us, maybe a sponsored activity or similar, use the 'contact project' button at the top of our page to let us know. Setting up your own page only takes a few minutes, and you won’t need any bank details. Just a fun idea!

This project successfully funded on 27th February 2023