Let's build Ballymacash Sports Academy together! Community Share offer now open.

The academy, a co-operative born out of Ballymacash Rangers Football Club, is seeking to raise a minimum of £50,000 with the share offer.

Planning permission has been granted for the first phase of the plan for a state-of-the-art sports facility used by the whole community, including a new clubhouse, function room, gym, floodlit 7-a-side 3G artificial grass pitch, a 250 seat stand and a cryospa.

This is Northern Ireland’s first chance to follow in the footsteps of FC United of Manchester and Lewes FC in creating a sports organisation that is owned and run by its members.

This ambitious project will be part financed by the community share offer, which will enable the public to invest in the new academy, giving them a say in its direction.

Philip Trimble, one of the Sports Academy Directors said the aim was to provide high quality facilities for the whole community, with a focus on encouraging the young, the elderly and the economically disadvantaged to participate more in healthy activities.

He said: “Since forming in 1984 the football club has been at the heart of the local community. We have identified a need for better sporting and leisure facilities in the area to provide a greater sense of community and ensure that people are given access to a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.

“Our desire is to have a range of sports accessing the facilities and  we are planning to set up a bursary scheme that will be accessible for talented young sport stars from a wide spectrum of sports.” 

The share offer was launched with the help of the Building Change Trust’s Community Shares Ready! Programme run by Co-operative Alternatives, an organisation set up in Northern Ireland to promote and raise awareness of co-operatives and community benefit societies.

“Many people want a say in how leisure and sports facilities operating in their area are run for the benefit of everyone. Ballymacash has a proud history of working on community based projects and we would appeal for everyone who has an interest in a better future for all to become involved in the running of this incredible organisation.”

The community share offer is on www.ballymacashsportsacademy.org and on https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ballymacash .Minimum investment per member £50.