Uplands Athletic FC - A Bright Future!

A Community Football Club

Uplands Athletic Football Club (UAFC) is a Football Association (FA) Registered Club in Oadby, Leicestershire. We joined the Alliance League in 1998-1999 and play in Division 2 with a squad of 23 players from a diverse and multicultural community in Leicester. The club have played at Uplands Park for the last 10 years and has a successful track record of reaching semi-finals / finals in the Leicestershire County Cup and Alliance League Cup Competitions. On weekends, we welcome teams from all over Leicestershire to play in competitive grassroots matches!

Our players can feel confident to learn all aspects of the game, from technical and physical to social and psychological! Our aim is to work with players to create a positive environment that promotes player growth and development. Our team is a not-for-profit sports team and as such all income generated is re-invested back into the club to support our team members. The coaches aim to:

• Build a positive culture through celebration of each other's successes.
• Build a supportive culture that is inclusive and free from judgement.
• Empower people to create healthy training / lifestyle habits.
• Provide high-quality coaching, equipment and facilities. 
• Remain affordable by using a fair pricing strategy.

Team Photograph (2022/2023 Season):

Football is great platform to learn a range of skills, including teamwork and leadership. Our club provides a platform for individuals to engage with community and to take part in team football in organised leagues, cup competitions and tournaments. Alongside playing football, we organise social events and participate in Leicester City’s Grassroots programme.

Training Session at Judgemeadow Community College:

We hold weekly training sessions each Wednesday at Judgemeadow Community College, Evington. There the team have access to a state-of-the-art, synthetic football pitch which was funded by the Football Foundation in 2004. The team use these sessions as a chance to work on fitness, technical skills and matchday preparation. The sessions are open to all - age and fitness is not a barrier! It provides a great platform for social interaction, resulting in long lasting friendships. 

The Community Football Development Centre at Judgemeadow was established with Leicestershire and Rutland FA and the Local Football Partnership. It was Opened by Trevor Brooking, FA Director of Football Development in 2005. Website Link: https://judgemeadow.org.uk/about-us/facilities-hire/football-centre/

Covid-19 and Beyond

The Covid-19 Pandemic has shattered sporting communities across the country and Uplands AFC is no exception. Over 5,000 grassroots football clubs ceased to exist as a result of Pandemic. Like many teams, the impact of restrictions has led to intense and long-lasting issues. Never in our lifetime has there been a more important time for sports clubs to support people in the communities to take back their lives, some of the wider social issues include:

• Increased mental health or wellbeing concerns.
• Increased loneliness and isolation.
• Increased financial volatility.
• Higher risk of engaging with other harmful practices.

We know the pandemic has adversely affected our players, but also businesses such as pubs and hospitality. It has been challenging for the club, as these businesses offer a key source of income from sponsorship opportunities. Ultimately, this has led to the club's reserve funds being expended to keep the club operating throughout the pandemic. This funding campaign offers an opportunity to raise funds so the club can continue to support our local community beyond Covid-19.

Billy Walton Cup & Leicestershire County Cup Competitions:

We are proud to take part in organised cup competitions throughout the season, the below photographs were taken at a recent match in the Billy Walton Cup. The team will also be taking part in the Leicestershire County Cup which is organised by the Rutland & Leicestershire FA. It provides our players with the opportunity to play against some of the best teams from in and around Rutland & Leicestershire.

Building for the Future

We have launched this Crowdfunding Campaign to help raise the funds needed to achieve financial stability beyond Covid-19. The football club is planning on embarking on an exciting re-brand over the course of the 22/23 season including investment in a new home kit and teamwear. The clubs current home kit and teamwear has been in use for four seasons and now requires replacement. The main objective for the club is to generate enough funding to help secure invest its long-term future.

Our club is run by volunteers (Chairman, Secretary, Managers and Coaches) who have worked tirelessly to support the team. It offers the opportunity for local people to pass on their life-skills and give back to community as well as improving their own mental state. The management team have progressed the design of a new home kit, but costs are estimated at circa £800. The purchase of a new Royal Blue / Black Adidas Campeon 21 kit has been sanctioned by both the management team and the team players. The new home kit will provide the team with a professional look that unites the players both on and off the pitch:

The club has identified the Adidas Tiro 21 training wear range and wants to invest to provide a simple, functional and uniformed look. The training top and pant combination costs are estimated circa £1,200 but during the cold winter months the team will benefit from having a dedicated training top and training pant which can be worn to training and matchdays.

Additionally, the club needs to invest in essential matchday and training equipment during this season. The club has been operating with its current equipment for the last four years and the items are now in need of replacement. The club estimate the costs of circa £500 to replace the items listed below: 

The club needs to invest in new training equipment to help improve the quality of its training sessions and help develop / improve the squad further. The effects of Covid-19, and the rising cost of living are having a big impact on our community club's financial resilience, as result the funds generated by the club and the reserve funds have not been available to invest in key items of equipment. 

If this campaign was to achieve its ambitious stretch target of £2,500 then the club would to use the funds to invest in the items listed above over the course of the 22/23 season. The target is for the club to secure its future and invest in teamwear and matchday/training equipment that will last for the foreseeable future. 

How to Get Involved

Our challenge is to raise between £800-£2,500 to add to the funds already raised by the football club. The aim is to secure the clubs future and to invest in a new teamwear and matchday/training equipment that we can all be proud of. You can choose to make a straight Donation by clicking on the Donation box at top right of this page or you can opt to buy one of the fantastic Reward Items lists on the right-hand side of this page! Please help in any way you can.

In addition, you can help enormously by spreading the word and the link to this page. Tell your friends and family and even your boss and let's make this happen! 

Thanks for your support! 

Uplands Athletic Football Club (UAFC)