Over £75,000 raised as Community Trust is launched
Last night, Oxford United Football Club launched its pioneering Community Trust with a gala dinner at the Kassam Stadium. England manager Roy Hodgson joined staff, players and local business leaders to celebrate the official launch of the programme, which has been in development over the past 12 months.
The Community Trust comprises four key pillars, ‘sports participation and coaching’, ‘health and wellbeing’, ‘education, training and employment’ and ‘social inclusion’ in a scheme designed to touch and improve the lives of as many Oxfordshire residents as possible. Last night’s gala dinner raised over £75,000 for the Trust with auction items including signed shirts from Pele, Maradona and Messi plus Usain Bolt’s signed running spikes.
The event included a silent auction, entertainment, and question and answer session between Sky Sports presenter David Jones and England manager, Roy Hodgson. Talking to David, Roy commented ‘It is nice to see so many people supporting such a great cause because Community work is so vitally important. Football can do so much for good in the community. I certainly hope the Oxford United community work will benefit from this evening and grow from here.’
Oxford United CEO Mark Ashton said: “When the chairman and I came into the club last summer we did so with a very clear set of objectives – to take Oxford United forward, both on and off the pitch, and to bring about positive change in the local community. We believe the football club has a responsibility to do what’s right by the whole county and the launch of the Community Trust alongside the Oxford Academy is a huge step towards that.’