Brackley Town Football Club has received a £75k grant from HS2’s Community & Environment Fund (CEF) to help build 'The Venue'- a new clubhouse which recently opened its doors after two years of reconstruction following a devastating fire in 2019 which unfortunately caused the club to lose both its clubhouse and bar.
The new facilities were built through a combination of fundraising efforts of local supporters including quiz nights, bonfire nights and initiatives like the supporter's wall, alongside a £75k grant from HS2- the company building the new high-speed rail line between London and the West Midlands. HS2 recently shared a video exploring the new facilities:
Cathy Elliott, Independent Chair of the HS2 Funds, said:
“Brackley Town FC has been a part of the community since 1890s and the loss of key facilities in 2019 had a real impact on the continued success of the club. It is inspirational to see how the £75k grant from HS2’s Community & Environment Fund, alongside the support of the local community, has allowed the club to continue to thrive and grow.”
Janene Butters, Chief Executive Officer, Brackley Town FC said:
“Brackley Town FC was founded in 1890 where it’s moved all the way through the leagues playing for promotion, if we can, this season. To fundraise for the club, we hosted lots of quizzes and bonfire nights, with a big focus on our supporter's wall. Without HS2, we would not have been able to have the most fantastic place we’ve got now.”
The club continues to serve the local community through a series of youth and community programmes, including under-7s – under 18 junior teams, Saturday soccer Schools, Wildcats and soccer tots (ages 2-4), regularly supporting over 200 junior players who want to play football.
Over 17 different teams regularly use the new facilities, including Brackley Town Ladies- a women’s team that was set up in 2019 due to increased local demand.
HS2’s Community & Environment Fund (CEF) and Business & Local Economy Fund (BLEF) are still in operation on Phase One of the route between the West Midlands and London.
Across Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, over 50 projects have already successfully received more than £3 million pounds of funding from HS2’s CEF & BLEF Funds since applications opened in 2017.
To find out more about how to apply for the CEF & BLEF programme, please visit: https://hs2funds.org.uk
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