Thread by @OUFCcommunity

We all understand the community around @OUFCOfficial with supporters & those interested in football, but the uncertainty facing #OUFC's stadium would have much wider repercussions across Oxfordshire if the club could not continue.
A 🧵
#SupportOurStadium

We, the club's official charity would also have no reason to exist & would be forced to cease all of our activities across the county.

In pure human & economic terms that would mean that our nine members of full-time staff plus 15 other part time coaches would lose their jobs.

The £300k+ we bring in & invest via employing those people, renting facilities from schools, leisure centres & sports clubs & running projects & programmes across Oxford, Banbury, Witney & Abingdon would no longer be spent locally.

It would also mean the extra jobs & increased investment that would be created as part of the new strategy #OxfordshireACommunityUnited, as we continue to grow, will not happen.

ouitc.org/latest-news/ex…

Those projects & programmes across the county are attended by over 3000 people & 10000+ connected to those activities, children, parents, grandparents, teachers, youth workers, academics, students, police officers / PCSOs, local council staff, charity & community group teams.

Our new strategy, Oxfordshire – A Community United, supports people across the community, aged 2 to 92.

We currently deliver 20+ different programmes across:
•Football in the Community
•Health & wellbeing
•Education & Employability
•Youth Engagement & Development

Football in the Community programmes such as OUitC’s Development Centres for Boys and Girls which includes matches.

#OUFC

Health & wellbeing programmes such as FIT U’S helping men and women improve their heart health.
#FITFANS #HealthyHearts #OUFC

OUitC’s education and employability projects including #PremierLeaguePrimaryStars delivering funded PE lessons, supporting teachers to develop their sports teaching and to help children with numeracy, literacy and to develop as young people within society.

Youth Engagement & Development activities include Premier League Kicks #PLKicks, a unique free to access youth programme for all abilities aimed at inspiring children & young people to achieve their potential, improve their wellbeing & stay safe.

Working with youth workers, local community safety teams & @ThamesVP to build stronger, safer & more inclusive communities.
We run 3 sessions weekly in Banbury, 2 in Oxford & launching very soon in Abingdon, working with @OxfordshireCC & @abingdon_the
premierleague.com/communities/pr…

Other positive impact projects & programmes we run include the monthly Manor Club a social group for the over 50s & the Refugee Football Group with @RefugeeOxford & @AsylumWelcome which runs two weekly sessions.

Plus Life Chances which uses sport & improved physical literacy to create positive opportunities for young people & greater community cohesion & the Twinning Project helping prisoners develop skills for life after prison.

#OUFC #PowerOfFootball

What we do isn’t in isolation – OUitC’s whole model is an inclusive one, focused on collaborations, partnerships, working together, connecting people with #OUFC. We employ local people, partner with schools, academic institutions, local authorities & Thames Valley Police teams.

Also @HealthyOxon, @TV_VRU grassroots football clubs like @Sports_ESFC & Oxfordshire charities, all for the benefit of local people using the Power of Football.

This is just a taste of what OUitC already does today & we are small in comparison to many “Club Community Organisations (CCOs)” across the EFL & PL but we have big ambitions to emulate those other CCOs’ work & positive social impact.

Here is the latest report from @EFLTrust which details the huge impact football clubs & their linked CCOs have on local communities. It is what we could create for the community in Oxfordshire linked to a new home for OUFC. efltrust.com/3d-flip-book/2…

So, please support #OUFC’s plans to move to a new stadium – together we WILL create a huge positive impact to people in Kidlington AND the rest of Oxfordshire if we get this fantastic opportunity to build a community focused sports facility.

We will create jobs, provide lots of free to access services, improve people’s health & wellbeing, create fun, inclusive & safe activities for all of Oxfordshire’s communities. #SupportOurStadium #OUFC