Due to all your support, you have raised an amazing £20,208.00, but it is not over yet. We would love to raise in total £25,000. The additional funds will help to refurbish the spectators' galleries. Imagine no longer standing in the cold and rain or in the blazing hot sun. Your donations will provide a comfortable, welcoming seating area to watch your children play, to socialise and let's be honest after Covid restrictions are lifted, we all need to meet with friends and laugh again.
Covid appears to have now become the norm, but it isn't. You should all want more!!!
Please keep donating, we have added more rewards, so keep buying and support what the Dome is trying to achieve for you.
The Middlesex Badminton Dome (MBD) formerly known as the Hounslow Badminton Dome was inspired by six badminton enthusiasts in 1978, who felt frustrated with the lack of badminton facilities in West London. So keen were they to have a dedicated badminton hall, they remortgaged their homes and raised the funds to build the Dome.
They finally found the land, a bare field in Hounslow part of a school and the dream became a reality.
MBD is the only dedicated badminton facility in London. In 1990 through funding, a sprung floor was installed and the County Association was then able to adopt the Dome as the home for Middlesex County Badminton. Since then it has also become a focus for local residents as well as local leagues and other groups of like-minded people-both adults and juniors to enjoy badminton in a sociable atmosphere. The Dome is run solely by volunteers, who are also players and coaches.
In 2004, two further courts were added making the Dome a six court facility. In 2011 the Dome was a designated training centre for the World Championship (held at Wembley) and became a training ground for 2012 Olympic teams.
Many people have played and/or coached at the Dome over the years, most notably Gillian Gilks (who won several All England Titles and in 1976 held all 3 at the same time (Ladies Doubles, Ladies Singles and Mixed Doubles). This has never been matched either before or since. More recently Aamir Ghaffar, who represented England on 39 occasions up to 2005 and most recently Rajiv Ouseph who retired in 2020 having won many titles including the European MS U19 title, a Commonwealth silver medal in India in 2012 as well as appearing in the Olympic QF in Rio in 2016.
Rajiv Ouseph and family have endorsed our crowdfunding initiative and say:
The Coronavirus Pandemic has hit us particularly hard. In the past ten months, we have only been able to open fully for two months and this has caused us immense hardship. We are a not-for-profit organisation and our reserve funds have been depleted. As a badminton facility, our revenue streams rely on memberships and court fees. As a non-profit, all income is reinvested in the Dome not just for improvements but for its daily running even when closed.
The Dome prides itself for being a community-based organisation and thus caters to players of all ages and abilities. We have held all women Badminton classes, tournaments for handicapped players and much more.
To date, we have lost over £50,000 worth of income and find ourselves in a difficult position. Our membership fees and court fees are set at a level that allows us to subsidise our junior players and vulnerable groups. Without your help, we will find it hard to reopen for smaller groups such as juniors and family bubbles when permitted to do so and so would need to wait until this pandemic is over to allow all players to come back together. This would be a great loss both to the community as well as our juniors.
Badminton at the Dome is not only for play, it has helped many of our players to socialise with like-minded people from all backgrounds. The Dome is situated in Hounslow and many if not most of our players are black, Asian and players from minority ethnic groups and most live in some of the most deprived areas. Without the Dome, many of these players have no other venue to attend.
Meeting friends and family goes a long way to mental health and stability.
Your donations will help to keep the wolves at bay while spending on improvements, upgrades, maintenance and most importantly keeping our membership and court fees at an affordable level. To ensure that the funds are available to subsidise our kids, low-income groups, vulnerable players and to further ensure Covid secure protocols are followed.
We want to do all those necessary activities to ensure a safe Return to Play as soon as permitted
Please help us and support the Middlesex Badminton Dome. No amount is too small.
Donate, Donate, Donate!!!
We are saddened that all our players who have enjoyed the Dome's facilities can no longer play due to this pandemic.
The Dome's Kids and Coaches
A few of our Juniors
Masters Bronze Open tournament Feb 2020 - Level doubles medal winners
Middlesex County teams over 45's
Middlesex County teams - over 60's
The County Champions 19/20 -The season cut short
The County Champions 18/19
Please help us and support the Middlesex Badminton Dome. No amount is too small.
Donate, Donate, Donate!!!
Should you require any further information please contact us on [email protected]