The EFL has officially launched it’s ‘Together – Supporting Communities’ initiative, and Swindon Town is backing the campaign having introduced several schemes to save fans money and make football more accessible amidst the current financial climate.
Reaching out to all 72 EFL clubs, the project - which is also part of the Government’s ‘Help for Households’ initiative - aims to provide communities across England with special offers to help those that need it most during these challenging economic times.
EFL club’s and their respective community organisations have already been rolling out a variety of support targeting those hit hardest, with foodbanks, clothing donations and even ‘heat hubs’ introduced, with Swindon Town at the forefront of this great work.
Over the past year, our Community Foundation has been offering free weekly Coffee & Catch Up mornings, bringing our elderly supporters together with a special guest or club legend attending too.
We’ve been distributing 250 free tickets to local schools, community groups and grass roots clubs for every home game this season.
There’s also been a strong focus on the wider matchday experience for our fans too, with money off food and drink across the stadium, in our club shop and online, as well as discounts at several local bars and restaurants.
Our Chief Executive, Rob Angus, said: “Here at Swindon Town we recognise the impact the cost of living is currently having on our community and are doing our bit to support them.
“We’re doing this in a variety of ways, which also includes working alongside great local charities to aid their fundraising efforts on matchdays, including the Swindon Food Collective.
“We’re extremely proud of all the work our Community Foundation is doing, and we’ll continue to work with them to ensure we are doing all we can to help those in need during these challenging times.”
On a national level, EFL partners eBay, Lifebuoy and Papa Johns are joining the initiative by providing ticketing and food offers for the rest of the season.
EFL Chief Executive, Trevor Birch, said: “Providing a warm stadium for a coffee morning, a regular food bank or clothing collections, ‘Together – Supporting Communities’ will offer real tangible help for those people hit hardest by the cost-of-living crisis within our communities.”
“While EFL clubs support people all year round, we recognise that now, more than ever, we should come together and maximise the power of our network to help those struggling.”
Sports Minister, Stuart Andrew, said: “Football clubs are the heart and soul of their communities and this new initiative with the EFL shows the true value of these community assets.
"Clubs are nothing without their fans and in difficult times it’s great to see them reaching out to help their followers.”
