Dundee FC Community Trust Chief Executive Greg Fenton Christmas & New Year message:
This is a time for reflection and also looking to the future.
Over the last year, we have benefitted from the knowledge and experience of the Club’s Technical Director Gordon Strachan and visited Spartans FC for their advice. It is key that we reach out to clubs and Community Foundations to observe best practices for this exciting new endeavour.
The projects we deliver in the community reflect the passion we have for our beloved football club and all of the people with whom we engage. This year alone, we have increased the number of primary school visits with our mascot ‘Snappy Dee’ as well as 442, our programme that delivers reading sessions with Dundee FC players in schools across Tayside. Learning can happen in various ways, as seen with our Scottish Government-backed 1893 Programme (funded by the National Lottery) and Come Dine with Dee (funded by NHS Scotland) our healthy eating initiative.
This year has brought a historic milestone for the Trust and Club, with the start of our pathway for girls football. It has been fantastic to see the support from the Club’s fan base and the enthusiasm shown by the community. Our Business Development Manager Declan Gall, has secured sponsors for the Women’s First Team and Girls Academy, and an incredible amount of work has gone in by Declan and Head of Community Football James Morrison to get us to this point. The planning process has begun for the ladies first team, including management structure by 2025.
In early Spring we restructured the organisation which will allow the Trust to continue its incredible growth, as seen in recent years. Lindsay Darroch was nominated Chairman in our recent AGM, and we agreed to align the Trust with our strategic review. The three-year plan includes our girl’s pathway, providing learning opportunities, and improve community capacity in our community. The Trust’s investment in more full-time staff has increased the amount of community programmes we deliver. We are proud to say that 83% of those that attend our education programmes go into permanent employment.
During the pandemic, we observed the vital work our health care professionals delivered, putting themselves on the line to ensure services continued for the public. In 2022 we designed and sold limited-edition training shirts in pink to raise awareness of breast cancer. Players and staff have worn these shirts and hundreds were sold, raising funds and awareness for the Trust and local breast cancer charities. The project was led by our Head of Education Jack Nelms, and exceeded all initial goals, proving once again how amazing our community, the Trust and the Club are together.
Our move in June to the Club’s new facilities at the Gardyne Campus has given the Trust a great advantage. It gives the Trust a modern new home, with excellent accessibility for our service users, indoor games halls and outdoor pitches to utilise. This will also be the base for the women’s team moving forward, giving them a state-of-the-art facility to promote the women’s game further.
Looking to the future, 2023 will be an exciting year for the Community Trust as we embark on the construction of a £900,000 infrastructure project, a 3G floodlit AstroTurf pitch. This will enhance the classes we deliver and transform our local community. It will give the Community Trust the foundation to excel sport in the city with our partners D&A College. In early 2023, we will be showcasing our plans to the Community and the wider city.
The cost of living and energy crisis has hit many and will continue to impact on lives. With that we as a Trust have doubled the number of free sessions that we provide, and in 2023 we will be opening the doors of Dens Park Stadium to those that need warmth, meals, and friendship. The Trust has been and will always be there to support everyone in our community.
From the time I started with the Trust as a manager it has been our mission to have a training facility that we can all be proud of. Now, as Chief Executive, I am thrilled to say that we are well on our way to a achieving that. Thanks to the partnership with the Gardyne Campus, we already enjoy tremendous facilities that have made a positive impact on our delivery of programmes. With the construction of an all-weather pitch complete in 2023, the catalyst for change the city and Trust deserves will be a reality.
Dundee FC Community Trust would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and successful New Year.
Greg Fenton
Chief Executive, Dundee FC Community Trust
