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Bradford City FC Community Foundation is proud to announce a new partnership with the Bradford Clothing Bank, aimed at providing vital clothing support to those in need across the city. This collaboration comes in response to the ongoing cost of living crisis, which has left many individuals and families struggling to afford basic necessities.
Lashman Singh, a key figure in Bradford’s charitable landscape and a driving force behind initiatives such as the Metropolitan Food Bank and The Curry Project, emphasised the urgency of this partnership:
“The cost of living crisis has pushed many people into difficult situations, making access to essentials like clothing a challenge. Through this partnership, we aim to provide real, practical support to those who need it most. Bradford has always been a community that pulls together in times of hardship, and we’re encouraging everyone to get involved.”
Bradleigh Pioli, speaking on behalf of the Bradford City FC Community Foundation, highlighted how this initiative enhances the services already available through the Foundation’s Thursday food pantry at the City Hub:
“This partnership allows us to offer more wrap-around care to the people we serve. By incorporating clothing support alongside our existing services, we can ensure that those in need receive a more holistic level of care and support.”
Collections can be made on Thursdays from the Foundation's City Hub (36 Valley Parade, Bradford, BD8 7DZ), between 1pm and 4pm. There are already clothing items ready to collect - attendees are encouraged to contact the Foundation ahead of collection to check availability and sizing on the items.
The Bradford Clothing Bank is open to both organisations and individuals, and those in need can register for support through their website. In addition, the wider community is invited to contribute by donating clothing items to help sustain this initiative.
The collaborative clothing bank highlight's the Foundation's commitment to saving used clothes from landfill, as part of the wider Green Bantams initiative.
The Foundation is also supporting this year's Green Football Weekend's Great Save. Green Football’s Great Save is the world’s biggest climate-football campaign, which rallies the entire football community - fans, players, pundits, clubs, leagues, grassroots teams and schools - to take action to tackle climate change and protect the future of the game. It runs from 11th March - 2nd April.
Climate change is threatening the future of football, with the FA estimating that 120,000 grassroots games are cancelled per year due to pitch flooding. By 2050, one in four English football clubs can expect partial or total stadium flooding each year.
Every year, an estimated 100,000 tonnes of sportswear ends up in UK landfills, which is the equivalent to 951 football shirts every minute—or 500 million per year2. Landfills produce large amounts of methane - one of the most toxic greenhouse gases - which fuels climate change. Keeping kit in play for just nine more months could reduce its carbon, water, and waste footprint by up to 30%.
Donations for the clothing bank, of both general use clothes and footballing kit, can be made at the City Hub during its opening hours, which includes pre-match for BCAFC home league games.
For more information on how to register or donate, please visit Bradford Clothing Bank’s website, or contact the Bradford City FC Community Foundation directly via email: cityhub@bcfccommunity.co.uk.
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