Oxford United fans and local businesses can now support the Club’s official charity to help use the power of the Club badge to inspire and support people across Oxfordshire through a monthly subscription for the first time.
Oxford United in the Community officially launched its ‘Friends of Oxford United in the Community’ fundraising campaign last week at Leonardo Royal Hotel Oxford to an audience of local business leaders, councillors and special guests from the charity and public sector along with Grant Ferguson and senior management from the Club.
The event saw Oxford United in the Community present its first annual impact report from 2023/24, which saw the team deliver:
- £973,182 of social value (up 88% from £517,532 in 2022/23)
- More than 2,378 hours of programme delivery
- Engage 1,672 programme participants
- Deliver programmes at 28 venues across Oxfordshire
- Work with 23 project delivery partners
- All with just 8 full-time employees
The event also saw Debbie Cook, Director of the Community at the EFL highlight the importance of Club Charities work across the UK, with EFL Clubs generating a huge £1.24bn of social value.
The fundraising initiative hopes to raise £25,000 annually for our charity which harnesses the power of football and the U’s badge to inspire happier, healthier and better-connected communities across the county.
Fans can subscribe for £5 per month, while businesses can become official partners of the charity for £100 per month and unlock a range of benefits including:
Supporters
- Entered into quarterly draws to win exclusive Oxford United prizes such as Icons Restaurant hospitality packages, training ground tours, tickets and signed shirts.
- Receive a pin badge, confirming your support of the charity.
- Learn how your support is making a difference via a monthly newsletter.
Businesses:
- Two places at three annual Oxford United in the Community events like last week’s launch event.
- Entry into quarterly draws to win exclusive prizes including Icons Restaurant hospitality, a signed first-team shirt, tickets and a boardroom experience.
- Your company logo, name and website on the Friends of Oxford United in the Community Business Directory.
- Learn how your support is making a difference via a monthly newsletter.
Furthermore, 10 per cent of all revenue generated by the initiative will be donated to the Joey Beauchamp Foundation in support of its work to address the pressing need for mental health support and awareness locally.
Matt Everett, CEO of Oxford United in the Community, said: “One of our key challenges historically has been people just not being aware of the scope and range of work that our team do across the county, supporting people of all ages and backgrounds, but also that we do it as a Charity which is of course very well supported by the Club, but operates independently on a not-for-profit basis.
“To date, our operation has relied on central funding through EFL in the Community and the Premier League Charitable Fund and generous donations from fans through either one-off payments or supporting our paid-for programmes. In 2023/24 our income was £361,430 of which 3.6% was from fundraising.
“Often when I speak to fans and businesses about what we do, they want to know how they can support our work.
“Launching Friends of Oxford United in the Community not only simplifies people’s ability to support our work, but also unlocks the opportunity for fans to win prizes and help make a genuine difference to the communities they live in at the same time.
“As a charity, it’s also a great opportunity for us to better tell our story to those who sign-up and demonstrate first-hand how much football can truly transform lives for the better.
“Our ambition is to make 20 per cent of our paid for activity spaces, which are vital in supporting our wider charitable work, free to access for those that need to. By subscribing as a Friend of Oxford United in the Community, you will have a direct impact on us achieving this.
“This initiative has huge potential to take our delivery to the next level with help from fans and the local business community and we encourage anyone with a passion or connection to Oxford United or Oxfordshire to subscribe.”
Each supporter’s annual contribution could provide two weekly inclusion football sessions which help adults living with a learning difference to be active or provide a kit pack for two mascots to walk out with besides the first-team.
Each business membership meanwhile could help fund 60 hours of free youth football coaching and mentoring or provide 10 kit packs for male and female players who have been offered a funded space within the charity’s Elite Development Centre.
To celebrate the launch, the charity will hold its first prize draw on Monday 31 March.
Fans and businesses who subscribe by Thursday 20 March will be automatically entered into the draw which includes an annual giveaway where one supporter will win tickets to the Club’s end-of-season awards dinner and one business will win a boardroom package.
Further prizes will be distributed to lucky subscribers in June, September and December.
You can read the charity’s full impact report, find out more about their work and becoming a Friend of Oxford United in the Community on the charity’s new website at www.ouitc.org or CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TODAY.
