Impact Report 2025

Accrington Stanley Community Trust is the official charity of Accrington Stanley FC, delivering sport, education, health and community engagement across Hyndburn and East Lancashire. Their 2025 impact report — marking 15 years of operation — covers 20,187 people engaged, a £4m community sports hub, Cancer Prehab sessions, veterans' support and the ninth year of their Big Shirt Giveaway, with the Stanley Sports Hub now proposed as a FIFA Women's World Cup 2035 base camp.

Report snapshot
48 Views

📋About

Sports participation (Stanley Kickers age 2+, over-50s football, disability sport); Premier League Kicks; Premier League Primary Stars; Football College (post-16); Cancer Prehab sessions (with Macmillan nurse); Extra Time Hubs (over-50s); Joy of Moving (primary health); Move and Learn; Champions Programme (youth at risk); veterans' programme; Stanley Sports Hub (£4m community facility) Custom geography from upload: Hyndburn / East Lancashire

📊Key Metrics

20,187 people engaged across all community programmes; 4,012 average weekly interactions at Stanley Sports Hub; income of £1,409,075 with £187,356 surplus; 93% of expenditure on direct delivery Key Metric 1
1,248 free Accrington Stanley shirts gifted to every Year 3 pupil in Hyndburn (9th year of initiative — over 10,000 shirts given since inception); 512 children attended holiday courses; 2,781 children in Premier League Primary Stars programme Key Metric 2
150 veterans connected through dedicated programmes; 110 students on full-time football education programme; 463 Premier League Kicks participants; 282 children received free school holiday provision; 3,320 people aged 50+ took part in over-50s football Key Metric 3

Key Outcomes

  • Stanley Sports Hub selected as proposed official base camp for FIFA Women's World Cup 2035 bid; Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited in January 2024; Cancer Prehab described as 'a lifeline' by participants — reduces isolation and anxiety alongside physical preparation for treatment
  • New three-year strategy (2025–2028) launched; 15th anniversary celebrated since formation in 2010; £200,000 padel courts investment planned for 2026; Champions Programme young people fundraised for community bleed kit through 10-mile sponsored walk and matchday collection
  • £4m invested in Stanley Sports Hub since 2019 including £750,000 3G pitch; 30+ Business Club members; veterans trip to Belgium (Tyne Cot, Menin Gate Last Post Ceremony); Shaun Whalley awarded PFA Community Champion for Champions Programme work

📍Geography

North West

2025 Enhanced

Impact Review 2024/25

£3,112,419 raised to deliver projects in 2024/25; total income £2,920,000 and total expenditure £2,850,000 (year ended 31 August 2024)
Key Metric 1
28,692 people took part in activities; 307,544 visits to sessions; 17,793 sessions delivered
Key Metric 2
More than 16,000 young people engaged across early years and primary programmes; 34 Premier League Primary Stars partner schools; over 7,000 healthy meals provided on HAF camps
Key Metric 3
Blackpool FC Sports College A Team won the CEFA league title 2024/25; BFC School received 'Good' Ofsted rating in November 2024; Norbreck Primary Academy reached EFL Utilita Kids Cup National Final at Wembley, winning Regional Finals unbeaten
2025 Enhanced

Impact Report 2025

Total income £659,217 and total expenditure £674,216 (year ended 30 June 2025, charity no. 1137275); 10,252 individuals engaged across the 2024/25 season, with 9,713 being young people in schools
Key Metric 1
82% of participants reported positive impact on mental wellbeing; 84% on physical wellbeing; 82% on sense of community; 86% made new friends since joining
Key Metric 2
70% agreed they made positive changes to their life as a result of CUF activity; 63% of adult participants felt a strong sense of community/belonging, 2% above the national average; 78% agreed they feel more motivated to be physically active (Forever United older adults programme)
Key Metric 3
56.7% of young people hardly ever or never feel lonely vs national average; 94% of participants feel welcome, safe and included; CUF participants ranked higher than Cambridge and UK averages for happiness, life satisfaction and worthwhile life
2025 Enhanced

Impact Report 2024-25

6,744 participants engaged across education, social inclusion, employability, heritage and health programmes in 2024/25
Key Metric 1
37,357 hours of positive activity delivered; £3.9 million in social value generated
Key Metric 2
4,805 pupils supported across 58 education settings; 300+ young people referred across six Engage hubs in Northampton, Kettering, Corby and Milton Keynes
Key Metric 3
89% of young people attending Engage programme made positive steps; 92% of employability learners moved to positive progression