The Big Bath City Bid is the community-led initiative to turn Bath City F.C. from a loss-making Limited Company into a democratic, financially sustainable and socially engaged community-owned club. A club where anyone can join by buying shares, and have a meaningful stake in the club’s success and decisions through its one-member one-vote policy. At the same time, the club’s immediate future will also be secured financially at a time of pressing debts. The Bid was initiated by Bath City’s Supporters Society, and is led by a team which combines successful local business people with long-standing supporters of the club. We have in-principle support from Bath City’s existing Board to transfer ownership to the new community cooperative if the Bid succeeds in raising the required funds.
We want to create a community club with a vibrant, active membership which will open up new opportunities for Bath City FC. Football is the world’s most popular sport, England’s national game, and has a unique appeal amongst many individuals and groups in society. A true community club can harnass that to itself be a vehicle for community development. Building on our experience with the award-winning Bath City FC Community Sports Foundation, we will use our community-owned model to bring in more resources and talent, and increase the club’s contribution to the city.
Since launching our community share offer in June, many supporters of other clubs have shown real interest in our initiative. And we are mindful of the fact that not every Bath City fan is in a position to buy the minimum of £250 worth of shares. We have therefore launched this crowd-funding initiative to ensure that everyone who wants to help give Bath the football club it deserves is enabled to do so.
** No money will be drawn-down until we reach the target, so it’s easy to commit your support right now **
We are seeking donations to sponsor the pitch at Bath City’s Twerton Park stadium. Each donation will sponsor a specific square yard of the playing surface, and you will get to choose which zone of the pitch it is in.
This campaign aims to raise £55,000 to bring us closer to the goal of a community-owned Bath City FC.
The money raised through this crowd-funder appeal will contribute to the community buy-out of Bath City FC. If that buy out does not progress, the funds raised through this appeal will be used to increase the existing shareholding of the Supporters Society, as a significant further step towards the eventual goal of community ownership. The Supporters Society is already the club’s largest single shareholder, and further shares would consolidate and strengthen their position as they continue to campaign for a community-owned club.
So help give Bath the football club it deserves by sponsoring part of the pitch today !