Dundee Football Club is set to open up its doors to people struggling to heat their homes this winter as the cost of living crisis hits hard.
The club’s Community Trust have teamed up with the SPFL Trust and Age UK to give people a place to warm up.
With the majority of the Dark Blues’ staff based at the new facility at the Gardyne Campus of Dundee and Angus College, Dens Park is largely unused during the week.
So, with the backing of owners Tim Keyes and John Nelms, the club have put together a programme to open the doors of the prestigious old stadium to those in need this winter.
‘We had to do something’
Speaking to Dundee fan podcast, Up Wi’ The Bonnets, Community Trust chief executive and DFC general manager Greg Fenton, said: “This year, especially because of the tough times everyone is facing with the cost of living crisis and the energy crisis we thought we had to do something.
“We are all based at the Gardyne yet we have an empty space at Dens Park.
“Monday to Friday there is only a handful of staff working at Dens, maintenance and grounds team staff.
“The main stand and lounges aren’t getting used Monday to Friday yet there are some people struggling to put their heating on.
“So we as a Trust we felt we had to do something.
“We are offering a winter support programme in partnership with the SPFL Trust and Age UK.
“We will open up Dens Park once or twice a week to start with and if there is demand we will open up more.
Helping the most vulnerable
“We will be giving hot meals, put the TV on, the heating will be on and this is all backed by the club.
“Tim and John are really supportive of this and we will be here every step of the way to help people in our community.
“If you support Dundee or you don’t, we’ll still be here.
“Further to that Dee4Life have come forward, and I thank them for that, to provide hot water bottles as well.
“So collectively we are helping the most vulnerable in our community.
“We’ll also be doing tours within Dens to showcase the history of the club but it also gives people the chance to come inside to the warmth and spend an afternoon learning about football or blethering with our staff.”
‘Real appetite’ for women’s team
In a wide-ranging interview, Fenton also gave an update on the club’s plans to get involved in the female game.
A new girls academy structure is being put together with a women’s first team the ultimate goal for Dundee.
And the Community Trust hope the wait isn’t too long to see that come to fruition.
“We are aiming for the full women’s team to be set up no later than 2025,” Fenton added.
More exciting news, get in touch to find out more.#HerGameToo pic.twitter.com/1ZCA8QVkkm
— Dundee FC Community Trust (@DundeeFCCT) December 29, 2022
“However, I fully believe it will be quicker than that.
“There is a real appetite within the city, a real appetite in the local community and the enthusiasm shown by local businesses to get involved is fantastic.
“But we have to make sure we do it within a good financial model to make sure it can be a huge success not just for the club but the people involved.
“We will take our time to make sure we get it right but I do believe it will be before 2025.
“That’s the deadline we’ve given ourselves for the women’s first team but before that we will have a fully-functioning academy and community setup.”
Fenton added: “Dundee Football Club is far more than just the male first team.
“That’s my plan for the Community Trust – to harness the enthusiasm from fans and to get everybody involved in the whole club.”
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