Bradford City FC Community Foundation Hosts Second Takeover Day

Local community unites to highlight charitable work at University of Bradford Stadium

Bradford City AFC will hold its second annual Community Takeover Day on Saturday 7 March, an event designed to showcase the activities and impact of the Bradford City FC Community Foundation across the city. The event follows the success of the inaugural Takeover Day held in February 2025 during a key match in the club’s promotion-winning season.

Event Highlights

The day will feature a series of activities centred around the University of Bradford Stadium. At half-time, hundreds of participants from local schools, social outreach groups, and competition winners will take part in a parade around the pitch to celebrate the Foundation’s ongoing work in the community.

Foundation CEO and former Bradford City striker Ian Ormondroyd, alongside Chief Operating Officer Lizzie Saunderson-Trowell, will address the crowd during the half-time proceedings. The event will also mark the official opening of the TL Dallas Community Stand, a new 1,500-capacity, alcohol-free stand dedicated to welcoming community members, particularly those from areas of high social deprivation and first-time football fans.

About the Bradford City FC Community Foundation

Established in 1988 by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), the Foundation has been led by Ian Ormondroyd since 1999. It delivers a variety of sports and support programmes across Bradford and the surrounding area.

In the past year, the Foundation has engaged over 36,000 participants through 29 different projects, including:

• The Way Forward: A project focusing on employability, mental health, wellbeing, and positive role modelling for young men in Bradford, funded by the SkyBet EFL Building Foundations Fund.
• Community Partnership Hub: A weekly family support initiative in partnership with Rackets Cubed, offering food supplies, clothing, cooking demonstrations, and recipe packs.
• Click & Connect Photography Exhibition: Showcasing artwork by young people from Bradford displayed at the City Hub.
• Smoke and Vape-Free Sidelines Tournament and Catch Your Breath Campaign: Initiatives addressing tobacco and vaping dangers, developed with Bradford Council.
• SSAFA Coffee Mornings: Weekly events supporting UK Armed Forces personnel.
• Football Camps: Including a free Community Camp in summer 2025 that welcomed over 200 children and young people.

The Foundation also manages Bradford City AFC’s Women and Girls and Disability football teams, runs an in-house education provision combining studies with football, and operates the Bantams Clubhouse, a junior fanzone.

Community Takeover Day Activities

• Parade of hundreds of Foundation participants around the pitch at half-time during the match against Leyton Orient.
• Opening of the TL Dallas Community Stand, hosting attendees from Foundation projects and partners.
• Warm-up shirt design competition, with the winning design created by a local school pupil to be worn by City players.
• Bake sale hosted by the Bantams Clubhouse featuring treats made at the Foundation’s dementia and Parkinson’s-friendly Moments Cafe.
• Donation collections around the stadium and in the City Hub matchday café, encouraging supporters to contribute to the Foundation’s work.
• Social media competition inviting attendees to share photos from the match using the hashtag #CommunityTakeover.

Statements from Leadership

Ian Ormondroyd, CEO of the Bradford City FC Community Foundation, commented on the upcoming event: “After the success of our first Takeover Day last year, we cannot wait to go even bigger and better this year. Bantams supporters will have the chance to chat to our team around the ground, and I’d encourage everyone to come to the game to take time to find out more about what we do, and the difference we make.”

Bradford City AFC CEO Ryan Sparks added: “The Bradford City FC Community Foundation is a vital extension of our football club. The work they do across the district, helping those in need and providing accessible sport, is nothing short of incredible. We are looking forward to the Community Takeover Day and celebrating everything their brilliant team does every day.”

Supporting the Foundation

Supporters attending the match are encouraged to bring a donation to the ground, with each pound donated estimated to generate £11 in social value through the Foundation’s services. Donations can be made via bucket collections on matchday or online through the Foundation’s OneDonate page.

For more information on the Bradford City FC Community Foundation and its projects, visit bradfordcitycf.org.uk.