The Hart Of Our Club 1908 Update – May 2021
It is almost 6 weeks since the club announced its intention to work alongside the fans and the newly formed Community Interest Company, The Hart Of Our Club 1908, so this is a bit of an update as to how we got here and what have we done since.
12 months ago, Raj assembled the supporters’ groups and asked, “could the fans work as a collective and help raise funds in support of the club moving forward?”
We were just about to enter the first Covid lockdown!
Detailed discussions with the club began as to how this could work, and very quickly it became obvious there was a real appetite amongst the fans and the club to form a working relationship.
Several calls into the Foundation of Hearts directors were made and indeed they are living proof that fans and clubs can work together. It didn’t take many calls to realise that it could work, they started with a business plan drawn up on the back of a fag packet, it was a simple message, No demands upon fans, and No pressure as to the amount pledged, but “if we all give a little, it will soon become a lot” 10 years later and almost £12 Million raised with over 8,000 monthly pledgers. It’s a staggering achievement and shows the passion that football fans have for their chosen club.
Pools fans have always raised money by means of football cards, raffles, or even a simple rallying call amongst mates was all it needed, and all the money went towards the betterment of the club in one form or another, be it in flags, drums, sponsored players shirts, hospitality, Man Of the Match sponsorship, etc.
But as talks with the club were progressing, a more formal way of fundraising was initiated amongst a group of fans, it was a decision to make a monthly pledge by way of a direct debit type standing order, into a dedicated account, ring fenced, with a view of working towards the formation of The Hart Of Our Club 1908.
So, a huge thank you to those that signed up and began pledging 12 months ago and stuck with it without even knowing if it would ever get off the ground. This commitment has helped give the group a working kitty & allow THOOC1908 to hit the ground running.
And a huge thank you to those that have signed up since THOOC1908’s ‘Official’ formation without seeing sight of any of the short, or long-term projects the group has been talking to the club about, that level of confidence shown in the aims and ambitions of THOOC1908 means such a lot and cannot be overstated.
We have also been able to put together a really strong Steering Group / Committee – All local fans with a passion for the Club, the Team, the Town and The Fans, check the website for more details about them can be found here: Committee Members
Following on from the recent exciting announcement surrounding Club 1908 we are also now able to confirm brief details of some of the other projects we are working alongside the club on.
- A Memorial Garden.
- Club murals around the vicinity of the ground.
- Improvements to disabled facilities.
- Improvements around the ground to the catering and refreshment facilities.
- Youth Team restructure from age of 13 up to 16.
- Work with The Foundation.
The success and speed with which these projects can be implemented, will be down to the success of THOOC1908 in its fundraising initiatives.
There is now a real connection between the Club and the Fans, and whilst we all realise there is still lots of work to do, rest assured it will be done.
Sign up, Pledge if you can, ask questions, offer suggestions, get involved.
This is Our Town, Our Club, Our Chance and Our Time.
NSD The Hart Of Our Club 1908.