Lewes Football Club launches £34,000 fundraising bid

The club set up a crowdfunding appeal on Friday (June 19), asking for people to help them raise £34,000 to replace their ageing floodlights.

‘Overdue’ improvements to the pitch and new toilets are also desperately needed, the club said.

The fundraising appeal has been backed by actor and long-time Lewes FC fan Dave Lamb who is best known as the voice of Come Dine With Me.

Charlie Dobres, one of Lewes FC’s directors, said it was ‘absolutely critical’ to get the lights replaced as they have been there for more than 50 years.

The lights were initally paid for in part by a Pink Floyd benefit gig at the local town hall.

Charlie said: “After 50 years, we now have to keep replacing bits.

“There is a stream of infrastructure that we need to do. We’re very proud of our ground The Dripping Pan, but it needs some work doing.”

He said like all football clubs and businesses – the coronavirus has taken its toll.

“This season´s revenues fall short of us being able to invest in some key infrastructural improvements that we need to do,” said Charlie.

“So, we are launching our first ever crowdfunder and hope that you, our local and global fanbase, will contribute by donating and sharing this page.”

Since the fundraising page was set up on Friday, £12,585 has already been raised.

Charlie said the club was ‘on track’ but said it must raise the full £34,000 by July 17, otherwise it cannot use any of the money raised.

He said: “If we can hit our target of £34,000, that unlocks at least a further £40,000 in grants, more than doubling what you put in! That’s because we can get most of these improvements 70 per cent funded by grants.”

The club is offering rewards in return for donations.

These are:

£20 – PRIZE DRAW - MEGAN RAPINOE SIGNED SHIRT

£50 – YOUR NAME ON A MATCHDAY POSTER

£100 – THE SHIRT OFF OUR BACKS

£250 – STORYTIME OR INTERVIEW TIME WITH LEWES FC PLAYERS

£1,000 – LIFETIME OWNERSHIP

“2,000 – FLOODLIGHT NAMING RIGHTS

Charlie added: “We will always be the club that tries to make football and the wider world a little bit better. But right now, we could use a little help ourselves.

“Our massive hope is the people of Lewes will get behind their local football club.”

Lewes FC is a not-for-profit fan-owned club. In 2017, it became the first, and still only, football club in the world to treat and pay its women’s and men’s teams equally.

To make a donation, visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/lewesfc.