On Wednesday 13 December 2023, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust celebrated the launch of their latest Social Impact Study reporting a headline valuation of £143,076,836 for the club and Trust.
The figure, calculated through the Substance Social Impact and Value report, estimates the economic and social contribution that Brentford FC and the Community Sports Trust made to west London during a three-year reporting period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023.
First-team head coach Thomas Frank joined the celebrations at Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub as the Trust outlined key achievements and successes from the reporting period.
Highlights include an enhanced education and employability offering with the Trust welcoming more than 500 local job seekers to a careers fair at Gtech Community Stadium in June 2023.
The Trust’s health and wellbeing provision has also expanded, with the introduction of innovative new programmes such as Comedy for Thought and Football for Thought.
2013 planning application
In 2013 the club and Trust commissioned Substance to produce a valuation of community benefits report in support of the planning application for Brentford FC’s proposed move to a new community stadium at Lionel Road.
At the time, it was estimated that the Trust’s activities in the financial year 2012/13 would have had a minimum value in terms of cost savings to society of £8.48m.
When the application was approved by the London Borough of Hounslow – fundamental to the consent was to increase activity by 30 per cent within three years of being in the new stadium or by 50 per cent if gates averaged 10,000 or more during the period.
Three years on from the opening of Gtech Community Stadium and Community Stadium Hub, the club commissioned Substance to produce a new social impact and valuation report.
With Brentford playing in the Premier League and gates regularly hitting over 17,000 people, The Trust surpassed the original targets outlined by the London Borough of Hounslow by 454 per cent, with a social impact value of £70.6m for the year 2022/23.
Participant journeys
While the figures and data within the Social Impact Study are cause for celebration, it is the journeys of participants and positive engagement through sport and activity to help create strong communities which brings the work of the Trust to life.
Tommy Ahadzi epitomises this, having been on a 10-year journey with the Trust from participant to an FA Level 1 Qualified Coach and is in the process of obtaining paid coaching work with the Trust.
Tommy has a learning disability, and while his sporting skills and ability were at a very high level compared to his peers, he initially struggled to interact with other participants or coaches when he first joined the Short Breaks programme.
Upon turning 18 and becoming too old to be a participant on Short Breaks, Tommy signed up as a volunteer with the Trust, and has been volunteering on our Short Breaks sessions ever since.
Tommy commentsL “I offered to volunteer at multi-sports camps with the Trust when I turned 18 as a way of giving back for all the support I received from them. I plan to go on living by their example of always supporting other people no matter their differences or difficulties faced.”
Tommy has recently obtained his FA Level 1 coaching badges and is now looking ahead to paid work with the Trust: “Obtaining my coaching badges has enabled me to develop as an individual in different areas of my life, and using those skills to benefit others.
“In the future I would like to take up a paid role with Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, as I have experienced the great opportunity the Trust has given to me, and I would like to be a part of that so that I can share that unique experience with others.”
Looking ahead
There are many more stories similar to that of Tommy, with the Trust delivering 11,638 sessions in 2022/23.
This growth also extends far beyond sport with provision across health, education and employment, specialist support and much more – which is testament to the effort and commitment of staff, coaches and volunteers.
Lee Doyle, chief executive of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, said: “When the London Borough of Hounslow granted planning permission for Gtech Community Stadium in 2013 it was a leap of faith by all parties.
“At the time Brentford were playing in the third tier of English football with aspirations of one day playing in the Premier League.
“To have achieved the original targets that were set by the London Borough of Hounslow and to see Brentford thriving in the Premier League both on and off the pitch brings immense pride and joy to everyone involved at the club and Community Sports Trust.
“Moving forward we have a number of creative initiatives in development that will increase our reach, scope and impact in the community.”
Councillor Katherine Dunne, deputy leader of the London Borough of Hounslow, added: “It was great to attend the event to celebrate the launch of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust’s latest Social Impact Study.
“The social value of both Brentford FC and the Community Sports Trust is priceless to Hounslow as a borough.
“We’re very proud that so much of the activity and achievements detailed in this report are within our borough and we’re thrilled to include both the Club and the Community Sports Trust as part of our Youth, Skills and Employment Guarantee Alliance.
“As a council, we relish working together to further improve and enrich lives in Hounslow.”
Jon Varney, Brentford FC chief executive, said: “Since our promotion to the Premier League, not only has the club evolved but so too the work of the Community Sports Trust.
“Moving to Gtech Community Stadium has been a driving force in this development, and the Trust has continued to grow and build purposeful partnerships in new and innovative ways to support people across west London.”
Cliff Crown, Brentford FC chair, added: “I am continually impressed by the scope and scale of the Trust’s work and impact across west London.
“It is important for us to engage with our communities, and we are very proud of our Trust and their achievements in respect of the social impact target and outcomes in this report.
“I would like to congratulate all the staff at the Trust who have made this possible.”
Please click here to read the Social Impact Study and find out more about the work of the Trust across west London and beyond.
https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/article/community-news-brentford-fc-community-sports-trust-social-impact-value-report-2023
