It’s time to vote!
The Club needs you to vote for which charity should become our fourth charity partner and host a bucket collection on Saturday February 9 2019 (Bradford City v Fleetwood Town).
Every penny raised at the bucket collection will go to the charity, to help them fund the amazing work they do.
So far, the charities you have chosen have raised thousands of pounds for their vital work.
To help you with your decision, we've described each charity along with how they will put the money raised to use.
So take a look and cast your vote at the bottom of the page!
44F (CITY OF BRADFORD) SQUADRON AIR TRAINING CORPS
Charity number: 2051/86
Website: Click here.
Twitter: @44fbradford
Facebook: @44fbradford
44F City of Bradford Squadron is one of the earliest units to be formed in the organisation hence the letter ‘F’, indicating one of the first 50 Squadrons to be founded, and they will be celebrating their 80th Anniversary next year.
A part of the cadet experience is to work through the training regime.
The regime is broken up into stages which gives cadets the opportunity to take part in unique activities, specialist technical training and rank promotion. The main activities include:
- Duke of Edinburgh award
- First Aid Training Marksmanship UK,
- Annual, overseas and band camps
- Participation in drills;
- Foot drill - quick and slow time
- Banner drill
- Ceremonial parades
- Band drill
- Flying and gliding
As well as giving young people the opportunity to take part in training sessions and gain awards, one of their aims is to; promote and encourage a practical interest in aviation and the Royal Air Force among young people.
Many cadets go on to great success in the RAF (and the other Services). Around 40% of officers and 50% of all aircrew (including pilots, navigators and engineers) in the RAF now are ex-cadets.
Many think that the Air Cadets are heavily funded and supported, but this isn’t the case. The money spent on uniforms and flying etc, is all funded publicly by the RAF. 44F has to provide 90% of the required funding which is raised primarily through fundraising efforts and charity events.
Fund-raising is a huge part of life as a cadet and is used as the primary source of funding for 44F.
For the past two years, 44F have been actively raising funds to purchase an SOV (squadron owned vehicle). This would be a huge benefit for the squadron as it enabled the cadets to travel to many, many more activities.
The bucket collection would provide an excellent opportunity to reach the target funds for the SOV.
Sqn Ldr Steve Dunn RAF AC, Officer Commanding, said: "The young people that join us are our future of our communities and our nation, they will go on to be our Service personnel defending our freedom, putting themselves in the front line.
"Or they will be community service personnel ie Fire Service, Paramedics, Police Officers, Doctors, Nurses and maybe our pilots taking us on holiday.
"That’s because these young people volunteer two nights a week and commit to our programmes of opportunity and training and are keen to help others in a sense service for the greater good.
"Over the 80 years of its presence in Bradford hundreds of young people have benefited from membership, it’s served the community on many levels and given some young people their only opportunity to succeed in life and become a better adult member of our society which they couldn’t get anywhere else.
"We are looking to maintain the many activities we offer and expand in to the numerous diverse communities in Bradford offering the opportunities to all, we need funding for transport, staff training and to subsidise activities to prevent costs from been an obstruction to young people’s development and sense of belonging."
BRADFORD METROPOLITAN FOODBANK
Charity number: 1120018
Website: Click here.
Operating since 2004, Bradford Metropolitan Foodbank is run entirely by volunteers and bridges the gap between those that have surplus food and those that need it.
Lashman Singh founded the charity after already being involved with 'The Curry Project' as a drop in place for those in need to have a good wholesome meal.
In November 2018, 1,387 food bags were distributed to families in Bradford - showing the number of families in Bradford experiencing severe poverty and hardship.
All professional organisations and charities go to this foodbank to provide food for the most vulnerable in the City.
The charity wholly relies on the generosity of the public and private companies, but they are struggling to keep up with demand.
Frances Atkins, from Bradford Metropolitan Foodbank, said: “Becoming a charity partner would give us a huge boostand, enabling us to help even more vulnerable and hungry Bradford families.
"I can promise you that every penny collected will be spent on food, stamps, bags and string to tie the bags. Not a penny will be wasted."
BRADFORD NIGHTSTOP
Charity number: 1159365
Website: Click here.
Facebook: @BradfordNightstop
Twitter: @BDNightstop
Bradford Nightstop are a local, homelessness charity who have opened their doors to young homeless people (aged 16-25 years) since 1993.
The nightstop provide free emergency accommodation in the homes of trained volunteers – where they are given a hot meal, a listening ear, a chance to shower/bath, new underwear and most importantly, a safe place to sleep in a room of their own.
But their work doesn’t stop there. The following morning, the young person is signposted to an agency that can help them get longer term accommodation.
The charity care for young people 365 nights of the year, and in 2018, they helped the largest number of young people out of all the Nightstop schemes across the UK.
They also marked over 1,000th beds with a reception to thank over 60 volunteers.
As well as their ‘hands-on’ approach, they work with schools, pupil referral units and youth groups to deliver preventative homelessness education.
The money raised from the bucket collection would directly support young homeless people in the Bradford District through their work.
Many of their volunteers, as well as their treasurer, are avid Bradford City supporters and want to see the club succeed.
FRIENDS OF THE BRADFORD ROYAL INFIRMARY
Charity number: 700416
Website: Click here.
Twitter: @BTHFTVolunteers
Friends of the Bradford Royal Infirmary are a charity run by volunteers for the benefit of patients.
The charity aims to make every patient’s stay as comfortable as possible by purchasing equipment to improve treatment in all areas of the hospital.
They paid for the refurbishment of the Bradford Royal Infirmary’s Accident & Emergency department, the ENT Outpatients waiting area and improvements to the Maternity and New born ward.
Over the last 8 years (2010-2018), they have purchased various equipment for the theatres and wards totalling £615.000.
As well as major developments of the hospital, they have purchased equipment such as TEG machines for the theatres, Endoscopes, wheelchairs, comfortable chairs for the waiting areas, equipment for the Physiotherapy department and many smaller items.
In the year 2018 alone they purchased laryngoscopes, cardio respiratory couch, cough assist equipment for the physiotherapy department and baby bibs for the `Born in Bradford` Baby week totalling £40,000 and other small amounts such as repairs to wheelchairs and new chairs for waiting rooms in the day surgery wards.
The work wouldn’t be possible without their team of dedicated and hardworking volunteers. Without them, there would be no income.
Most of the charities income is raised from two Tea Bars in the Orthopaedic and ENT departments at the hospital.
The charity also has a team of knitters who produce baby clothes which are sold from a trolley going round the wards of the Maternity Hospital and display cabinets.
The charity is always thinking of new ways to raise money for their work as there is never enough money for the requests made by hospital staff.
The bucket collection will help them raise funds to further improve the facilities at the hospitals and create a better environment for patients.
Dianne Saxton, Treasurer/Secretary of the charity, said: “We would like people to vote for us as we would really appreciate any extra money we can raise from this event.
A lot of our volunteers are, like me, in their 70s and started volunteering after they retired from work, so raising funds by sponsored walks, runs, abseiling is not a viable option for us."
PETER GREENWOOD MEMORIAL TRUST
Charity number: 327262
Website: Click here.
The Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust (PGMT) was established in 1986 and has been operational for over 30 years.
The PGMT supports deaf and hearing impaired students throughout the country but has particular interest in helping those who attend schools, colleges and vocational training in the Bradford district – the area at the hear of Bradford City A.F.C. fanbase.
Peter Greenwood was an avid football and Bradford City fan. He tragically lost his life in the Valley Parade fire disaster in 1985. He died along with his two sons Felix and Rupert.
His widow, Hazel, created a lasting continuing legacy for her husband through the Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust (PGMT).
Peter Greenwood was Deputy Head at Thorn Park School for Deaf Children. As well as being an excellent teacher of the deaf and hearing impaired, Peter devoted a great deal of his spare time in helping deaf and hearing impaired students and pupils in furthering their education and training in achieving their potential.
The PGMT also assist those who seek to broaden their horizons with travel and accommodation that are an important part of their personal development and confidence building.
The trust is inextricably linked with the club. The PGMT has the desire to being something positive and of value from the most tragic circumstances at it’s core. The Greenwood family remain at the centre of the Trust’s activities.
The trust shows their love for football by supporting deaf individuals to develop their interests in sports development and football coaching in particular. By supporting a deaf youth club, they encourage their members to attend dedicated FA courses.
Malcolm Robinson, Secretary of the Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust, said: “Becoming a Charity Partner is vital for the Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust (PGMT) to continue providing awards for Deaf students in further education. In 2018 we supported twenty-one students in Bradford and across the country in their vocational endeavours.
“Peter Greenwood and his two sons, Felix and Rupert, lost their lives in the fire at Valley Parade. The Fund was set up by Peter’s widow and family and his work colleagues at Thorn Park School for the Deaf were he was a respected Deputy Head Teacher.
“The small group of volunteer trustees have benefited from bucket collections at Valley Parade over the years as our only major source of income.
"The PGMT hopes that City fans will feel a special connection with tour work and will wish to offer their support.
“All of the monies raised will be allocated by our Awards Committee to encourage Deaf young people to succeed in their ambitions as they leave school and enter the world of work.
“We have provided funding for assistance technology, for adaptive aids to allow Deaf students to learn alongside their hearing peers. We encourage our young people to broaden their horizons through travel and participation in sporting activities.
“We have zero administrative costs. We allocate all of our monies to Deaf young people with all our Trustees donating their time and activities totally on a voluntary basis.”
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Voting closes at 12:00pm on Thursday January 10 2019.