Help keep Bealonians FC At Oakfield Playing Fields
Help keep Bealonians FC At Oakfield Playing Fields
The Issue
Background
Last year, London Borough of Redbridge opened applications for the lease of Oakfield Playing Fields - the site where grassroots club Bealonians FC and their 600 members have been since 2004, alongside five cricket clubs.
The nature of the Oakfield Site means the council should be favouring multi-sports applications. However, the council is planning on granting the lease to West Ham United, which would leave Bealonians FC and its 29 youth teams (including two girls teams) and ten adult men’s teams, without a place big enough in the borough to relocate to.
The playing fields and Jack Carter Pavilion are also home to Aztecs, Bardoli, Spartans, Scintilla and Essex Panthers cricket clubs as well as being a well-maintained, safe and convenient location for the Hainault & Chigwell Muslim Association, London Seaward FC and the number of locals who hire the pavilion for private functions.
The reason why West Ham are being favoured? Money. Immediate income, over long-term investment in the community.
At the request of Redbridge council, Bealonians FC have been caretakers of the site since 2020. Looking after it in the absence of a lease, they have invested in its maintenance and provided a vital lifeline to the community. Bealonians FC entered into negotiations with the council to secure the lease in 2020/21, however, just as they were about to sign the agreement, Bealonians FC received communication from the council’s legal department ceasing all negotiations.
Without a current lease, the council have no legal obligation to re-home Bealonians FC, leaving the future of the club in jeopardy.
Why should you sign this petition?
The future of football relies on grassroots clubs like Bealonians FC. Without them, talent simply cannot be nurtured.
Through the dedication of its many volunteers, Bealonians FC are one of the few grassroots clubs who have a two star England Football Accreditation which replaced the FA Charter Standard accreditation. Grassroots clubs with a two star accreditation demonstrate a commitment to creating a safe, positive environment to nurture players, coaches and volunteers to grow their skills or to turn football into a viable career path. The result is greater diversity and inclusivity throughout football.
Very few grassroots clubs go to these lengths as it’s a significant investment but also the criteria requires clubs to follow all the talent pathways set by the FA from Under 5 to Under 18, DBS check all coaches, ensure all coaches attend a child protection workshop and emergency first aid course and all coaches must have at least an FA Level 1 coaching badge. In addition, Bealonians FC also require coaches to be mentored for six-months before they are approved by management.
This dedication to the development of young players has resulted in several success stories with a number of players going on to play for Spurs, Arsenal, West Ham, Brentford, Hull City, Leyton Orient and Stevenage.
About Bealonians FC and Redbridge
Bealonians FC have been in the London Borough of Redbridge since 1936 and are the largest grassroots football club in the borough. If Bealonians FC lose this site, it would have a dramatic impact on the health and wellbeing of the community - counter intuitive to a number of priorities stated in Redbridge Council 2022-26 Plan. It would also mean the potential privatisation of what is currently a public green space enjoyed by thousands in the community.
The London Borough of Redbridge is a vibrant and diverse borough, but like many in London, extreme wealth lives alongside extreme poverty with 19% of children living in poverty*. Ilford, where Oakfield Playing Fields are located, is one of the boroughs most deprived areas. If Bealonians FC lose their ground, they will likely be forced out of Redbridge, cutting off the mental and physical health lifeline it provides for the community, as well as leaving over 300 children without a club they can grow, thrive and realise their dreams.
Support for those who need it most
It’s estimated that Bealonians FC generates £808,496 in social value to the London Borough of Redbridge through an increase in wellbeing, mental health and reduction in NHS costs**
The club’s membership fee is one of the cheapest in the borough and those on lower incomes can apply for subsidised membership as well as take part in the free, Football for All community hour on a Saturday morning. The club also offers a Swap Shop where clean, good condition boots, shin pads, base layers and gloves are donated for members to swap for the next size up or just take what they need and return when they are finished.
Future plans
If Bealonians FC win the lease, they plan to invest more in Women’s Football - the club saw a 50% increase in female members following the success of the Lionesses. They will set up a Female pathway, obtain a Girls Squad License from the FA, enter their girls teams into competitive leagues and strive towards open age female teams.
They also plan to start a Disability Pathway and Walking Football, encouraging more people, no matter their age, to keep active. Currently 31% of residents over 16 are active for less than 30 minutes per week, the ratio of GPs to patients is 24% higher than the average and 18% of residents have mental health disorders*.
Unlike many development paths in life, grassroots football allows all children and adults, no matter their background to play on a level playing field. While the entire community will be negatively impacted if Bealonians FC lose this site, it’ll be those from lower incomes families who are impacted most severely, further widening the opportunities and skills gap that divides society as a whole - not to mention widening the gender opportunities gap the football industry is trying so hard to close.
Please help to help keep Bealonians FC at Oakfield Playing Field by signing this petition and tell the London Borough Redbridge why West Ham United should not be granted the lease.
PLEASE NOTE: We are not currently fundraising, so if you are asked to “chip in” please be aware that this money will go to Change.org, not to our campaign. So please do not feel the need to donate at this time but please do share the petition instead (you can simply select the “copy link” option when signing the petition) and pass this link on by email, your WhatsApp street groups, social media and websites etc. If we do start to fundraise in future, we will post an update. Thank you for your support.)
*London Borough of Redbridge, Redbridge Plan 2022-26 https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/media/11263/the-redbridge-plan-2022-26.pdf
** Sport and Recreation Alliance conducted research (Hidden Diamonds) on the value which can be gained from volunteering and what economic value this has on physical and mental health, both for the individual but also for the participants involved in the activity being facilitated by the volunteer. Through this, a formula was created to determine an economic value per volunteer. Therefore, using this formula with Bealonians FC, it is estimated that Bealonians FC generates £808,496 in social value to the London Borough of Redbridge through an increase in wellbeing, mental health and reduction in NHS costs - the ratio of GPs to patients is already 24% higher in the Redbridge than the average.
16,819
The Issue
Background
Last year, London Borough of Redbridge opened applications for the lease of Oakfield Playing Fields - the site where grassroots club Bealonians FC and their 600 members have been since 2004, alongside five cricket clubs.
The nature of the Oakfield Site means the council should be favouring multi-sports applications. However, the council is planning on granting the lease to West Ham United, which would leave Bealonians FC and its 29 youth teams (including two girls teams) and ten adult men’s teams, without a place big enough in the borough to relocate to.
The playing fields and Jack Carter Pavilion are also home to Aztecs, Bardoli, Spartans, Scintilla and Essex Panthers cricket clubs as well as being a well-maintained, safe and convenient location for the Hainault & Chigwell Muslim Association, London Seaward FC and the number of locals who hire the pavilion for private functions.
The reason why West Ham are being favoured? Money. Immediate income, over long-term investment in the community.
At the request of Redbridge council, Bealonians FC have been caretakers of the site since 2020. Looking after it in the absence of a lease, they have invested in its maintenance and provided a vital lifeline to the community. Bealonians FC entered into negotiations with the council to secure the lease in 2020/21, however, just as they were about to sign the agreement, Bealonians FC received communication from the council’s legal department ceasing all negotiations.
Without a current lease, the council have no legal obligation to re-home Bealonians FC, leaving the future of the club in jeopardy.
Why should you sign this petition?
The future of football relies on grassroots clubs like Bealonians FC. Without them, talent simply cannot be nurtured.
Through the dedication of its many volunteers, Bealonians FC are one of the few grassroots clubs who have a two star England Football Accreditation which replaced the FA Charter Standard accreditation. Grassroots clubs with a two star accreditation demonstrate a commitment to creating a safe, positive environment to nurture players, coaches and volunteers to grow their skills or to turn football into a viable career path. The result is greater diversity and inclusivity throughout football.
Very few grassroots clubs go to these lengths as it’s a significant investment but also the criteria requires clubs to follow all the talent pathways set by the FA from Under 5 to Under 18, DBS check all coaches, ensure all coaches attend a child protection workshop and emergency first aid course and all coaches must have at least an FA Level 1 coaching badge. In addition, Bealonians FC also require coaches to be mentored for six-months before they are approved by management.
This dedication to the development of young players has resulted in several success stories with a number of players going on to play for Spurs, Arsenal, West Ham, Brentford, Hull City, Leyton Orient and Stevenage.
About Bealonians FC and Redbridge
Bealonians FC have been in the London Borough of Redbridge since 1936 and are the largest grassroots football club in the borough. If Bealonians FC lose this site, it would have a dramatic impact on the health and wellbeing of the community - counter intuitive to a number of priorities stated in Redbridge Council 2022-26 Plan. It would also mean the potential privatisation of what is currently a public green space enjoyed by thousands in the community.
The London Borough of Redbridge is a vibrant and diverse borough, but like many in London, extreme wealth lives alongside extreme poverty with 19% of children living in poverty*. Ilford, where Oakfield Playing Fields are located, is one of the boroughs most deprived areas. If Bealonians FC lose their ground, they will likely be forced out of Redbridge, cutting off the mental and physical health lifeline it provides for the community, as well as leaving over 300 children without a club they can grow, thrive and realise their dreams.
Support for those who need it most
It’s estimated that Bealonians FC generates £808,496 in social value to the London Borough of Redbridge through an increase in wellbeing, mental health and reduction in NHS costs**
The club’s membership fee is one of the cheapest in the borough and those on lower incomes can apply for subsidised membership as well as take part in the free, Football for All community hour on a Saturday morning. The club also offers a Swap Shop where clean, good condition boots, shin pads, base layers and gloves are donated for members to swap for the next size up or just take what they need and return when they are finished.
Future plans
If Bealonians FC win the lease, they plan to invest more in Women’s Football - the club saw a 50% increase in female members following the success of the Lionesses. They will set up a Female pathway, obtain a Girls Squad License from the FA, enter their girls teams into competitive leagues and strive towards open age female teams.
They also plan to start a Disability Pathway and Walking Football, encouraging more people, no matter their age, to keep active. Currently 31% of residents over 16 are active for less than 30 minutes per week, the ratio of GPs to patients is 24% higher than the average and 18% of residents have mental health disorders*.
Unlike many development paths in life, grassroots football allows all children and adults, no matter their background to play on a level playing field. While the entire community will be negatively impacted if Bealonians FC lose this site, it’ll be those from lower incomes families who are impacted most severely, further widening the opportunities and skills gap that divides society as a whole - not to mention widening the gender opportunities gap the football industry is trying so hard to close.
Please help to help keep Bealonians FC at Oakfield Playing Field by signing this petition and tell the London Borough Redbridge why West Ham United should not be granted the lease.
PLEASE NOTE: We are not currently fundraising, so if you are asked to “chip in” please be aware that this money will go to Change.org, not to our campaign. So please do not feel the need to donate at this time but please do share the petition instead (you can simply select the “copy link” option when signing the petition) and pass this link on by email, your WhatsApp street groups, social media and websites etc. If we do start to fundraise in future, we will post an update. Thank you for your support.)
*London Borough of Redbridge, Redbridge Plan 2022-26 https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/media/11263/the-redbridge-plan-2022-26.pdf
** Sport and Recreation Alliance conducted research (Hidden Diamonds) on the value which can be gained from volunteering and what economic value this has on physical and mental health, both for the individual but also for the participants involved in the activity being facilitated by the volunteer. Through this, a formula was created to determine an economic value per volunteer. Therefore, using this formula with Bealonians FC, it is estimated that Bealonians FC generates £808,496 in social value to the London Borough of Redbridge through an increase in wellbeing, mental health and reduction in NHS costs - the ratio of GPs to patients is already 24% higher in the Redbridge than the average.
16,819
Supporter Voices
Petition created on 30 September 2023