About Community Sports Trust
Burnley Football Club is widely renowned as one of the strongest football clubs in England in regards to its links with the community.
The department was formed under its original name 'football in the community' in 1988 as part of the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) national programme.
With the help and guidance of Burnley Football Club and the PFA the department has quickly established itself into a major scheme within the national programme (95 clubs) winning a number of awards including the BITC award (Business In The Community award).
In 1999 the department expanded its operation to encompass the Leisure and Education facility at Turf Moor and became a limited company and charity under education.
In October 2006 Burnley Football Clubs Leisure and Community programme, due to its continued growth and success was re-branded as Burnley Football Club Community Sports Trust.
In Summer 2007 Dave Edmundson, Chairman of The Community Trust was granted the distinguished honour of being announced as the Prince of Wales Ambassador on Corporate Responsibility in the North West thanks to his influential role as a catalyst to social and economic change within North West communities.
Recently former Prime Minister Tony Blair quoted:
"I am well aware of the excellent contribution that Burnley Football Club Leisure and Community programme makes in schools particularly. Their sports courses and healthy lifestyle programme are exactly what we need to help children become more active and healthy. They are doing a great job for the club and of course for the community."
And such praise from dignitaries is not unique from for the Community Sports Trust as they have previously been visited and commended by HRH the Prince Of Wales regarding the success of the ‘SCARF Project - Burnley Football Clubs Anti-racism and Social Inclusion, as well as Sports Minister Richard Caborn.
Burnley FC promotes anti-racism, and players and officers give their time to events in a bid to raise awareness and eliminate abuse and discrimination. Although the figure is still low, the club now attracts more ethnic minority season ticket holders than it did five years ago.
The Community Sports Trust is a self funded organisation and currently encompasses 3 key areas:
- Stadium Fitness
Burnley Football Club Stadium Fitness now contains one of the most comprehensive fitness suites in the area with state of the art cardio-vascular and resistance equipment, sauna, sun-bed and aerobics room. - Leisure Centre
The leisure centre currently caters for the numerous sports including 6 badminton court hall, changing rooms and class rooms, casual football, 5/7 a side football and netball leagues, badminton and many more. - Sport in the community
Highly qualified and experienced full-time coaching staff deliver multi sport sessions to over 250 schools and groups, including over 40,000 children from the local area.
