We're still collecting donations
On the 31st August 2020 we'd raised £3,300 with 42 supporters in 31 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
We want to build a new Club House which can double as a classroom for use by our Junior teams and our Academy
by Des Flanders in East Molesey, England, United Kingdom
On the 31st August 2020 we'd raised £3,300 with 42 supporters in 31 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.
We desperately need a Club House. We have an old building on site which is falling apart (see above) and in need of a complete refurb but it has the potential to be our Club House. Once refurbed it will provide a Club House for use by the whole club but especially by our Junior teams (age 6 to 16 - 40 teams) and will also a provide modern practical classroom for use by our Academy students.
Over the past 5 years we have applied for grants from the Football Foundation and been successful but for legal reasons the Football Foundation are not able to make the funds available because the site is owned by the Met Police (Mayor of London). We have examined a number of alternatives including prefabricated buildings and large wooden structures but the cost of such buildings is around £200,000 - far beyond the funds we have available without Football Foundation grants.
We get no financial help from the Met or public funds - so any activity which has a cost has to be found from our own funds. That's why we need your help
We have now set out on an alternative solution to refurbish the existing structure which we are certain can be achieved to give us a fine club house. We have sufficient funds to renew the exterior of the building and install a new roof so we now need extra help to fit out the interior with a large meeting/classroom, kitchen, canteen area and together with an office and toilets. In all, the internal fit is likely to cost around £50,000 even with volunteers giving their time and skill without charge.
It would be possible to find this sum from our own resources but to do so would be detrimental to the normal running of the club and the facilities we provide. That is not what we want to do because we believe we are playing at the right level and want to sustain a team capable of being competitive in the Southern League Premier Division. To avoid any detriment we plan to carry out the internal fit in an incremental manner by saving sufficient funds to enable the internal work to be carried out in small projects, with work being undertaken by volunteers where appropriate. But with the help of our supporters at all levels of the Club from the Junior Section to First team and the public, we may be able to do it in one project with the aspiration of the building being finished and ready to occupy by the end of 2020.
This is an important project for the future of the Club and particularly for all our young players as we provide them with a pathway to progression to senior football.
This project offered rewards