Barrow Football Club has launched a new community foundation that aims to have a positive and lasting impact on the Furness community.
The Barrow AFC Community Foundation is the official charity of Barrow Association Football Club.
The foundation has already kicked off its mission in the local area. The recent visits that Pete Wild and his squad have made into local schools have been in conjunction with the new foundation, aiming to show children the range of careers that are available in sport and give them a peek into life in a professional sporting environment.
Another initiative the foundation is launching is an auction of Saturday’s match worn poppy shirts; half of the proceeds will directly benefit a local charity in Barrow, with the other half going back into the foundation.
The new foundation will also be hosting a bake sale for Children In Need on November 18, where fans can meet the Barrow squad too.
A Buy A Bauble initiative will also be launching soon, where fans can purchase a bauble linked to an individual less fortunate to ensure they have a Christmas to remember. Full information on those schemes will be released in due course.
Mark Ingham, the chair of the foundation and the club’s supporters liaison officer, said: “I am both delighted and honoured to be involved with the Barrow AFC Foundation and am very much looking forward to being part of a team whose vision is to bring about sustainable and long-term change for our fans and local communities.
“Inspiring, engaging and educating others through the power of football is something I am extremely passionate about.”
Paul Hornby, club chairman added: “I know I speak for the whole club about how tremendously excited we are with the launch of our new foundation.
“We are extremely grateful that we have some true community champions who are giving up their time voluntarily to deliver help and support to lots of different groups in the area.
“We’ve already secured funding from the various footballing bodies and these funds can go straight to the projects without being diluted by salaries which is fantastic.
“There is so much good work the football club can get involved in and being at the heart of the community is where the club need to be positioned. The PFA and EFL have been really supportive in the re-launch and with their help we can make a real difference.”
