Melksham Town FC is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year by launching ambitious plans to improve football facilities and transform the club into a major community hub.
Founded in 1876 – making it older than Manchester United – the club has been at the heart of the town’s sporting life for a century and a half. Now, as part of its milestone year, it has launched ‘Project 150’, a campaign aimed at securing investment for a new 3G all-weather pitch and expanding community use of its stadium and club facilities.
Club chairman Adam Young said, “Reaching 150 years is a huge milestone for everyone connected with Melksham Town FC. It gives us a chance not only to celebrate our history, but to build something that the whole town can be proud of, not just for football supporters but for everyone in the community.
“We’ve got ambitious plans to really push the club forward; this club has been at the heart of Melksham for generations and we want to make sure it continues to thrive for the next 150 years as well.”
The club says an all-weather pitch is a key part of its future plans, particularly for its growing youth section, which now includes more than 500 children with boys’ and girls’ teams at every age group.
“We’re currently using an old astro pitch at Oak Community School nearby, but training sessions have frequently been cancelled due to flooding, icy conditions and ongoing maintenance issues,” said Adam. “The 3G pitch will make a really big difference, not just for the first team but for all of the young players coming through the club.”
The proposed pitch is expected to cost around £1.2million, with the Football Foundation indicating it could fund between 75% and 80% of the total project cost. The club is aiming to raise around £200,000 to cover partnership funding, surveys, design work and planning costs.
As part of the anniversary plans, the club also wants to expand beyond football by hosting more events and activities for local residents.
Plans include live music, entertainment and family events with the aim of making the club a year-round destination for the community. Wider celebrations marking a century and a half of football in the town are also planned.
The club is already attracting new groups including Melksham Rock Choir and hopes to encourage more local organisations and residents to use the facilities for meetings, events and private functions.
“We want this to be a real community hub with lots going on for all age groups and not just for football,” added Adam. “It’s a fantastic facility here and we want more people to come through the doors and feel it belongs to them as much as it does the club.
“We’ve got a great new team here now and we’re looking to put the difficult times of the past couple of years behind us and really start afresh with the backing of the town,” he said.
As part of Project 150, the club is encouraging players, families and local businesses to get involved through fundraising activities including fun runs, sponsored challenges and community events.
The club is also appealing for support from businesses that may be able to contribute expertise, services or sponsorship towards the project.
“Our Project 150 campaign is a fantastic opportunity to improve grassroots sport in Melksham, building a more sustainable future for the club and helping us become a true community hub that people of all ages can enjoy,” added Adam.
For more details, follow Melksham Town FC on Facebook or contact admin@melkshamtownfc.net
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