On Monday 29th September, Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC was proud to host Yorkshire’s Best at the iconic Horsfall Community Stadium – a fantastic celebration of local excellence, ambition, and community spirit.

The event was opened by Mathew Everett, Tom McStravick, and Humayun Islam, who welcomed guests to Horsfall and shared the exciting journey that Bradford (Park Avenue) is currently on, both on and off the pitch.

Guests had the chance to hear inspiring speeches from a wide range of voices, highlighting the strength of collaboration across Bradford and Yorkshire. It was also a brilliant opportunity to showcase the facilities at Horsfall, a stadium with a rich history and huge potential for the future.

Across the day, there were many valuable conversations around the community projects delivered by the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation, our commitment to youth development, and the diverse sponsorship opportunities available to local businesses who want to be part of the club’s journey.

A huge thank you goes to everyone who attended and contributed to making the event such a success. The atmosphere reflected everything we are building here at Bradford (Park Avenue): a football club and community hub with ambition, belonging, and opportunity at its heart.

We’re proud of the progress so far – but this is just the start of an exciting future at Horsfall.

Bradford (Park Avenue) is delighted to announce that we have been chosen as one of the venues for HONK! Bradford – an exciting new festival of street music, culture, and community.

On the evening of Friday 26th September, our Clubhouse at the Horsfall Community Stadium, Cemetery Road, Bradford BD6 2NG, will play host to Cacophany Arkestra, a Caribbean carnival-inspired live music group from Preston. Known for their vibrant costumes and infectious energy, they perform a unique mix of calypso, soca, and jazz tunes in their own unmistakable style.

This special evening is part of our fundraising efforts for both the football club and the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation. By attending, supporters will not only enjoy a spectacular live performance but also contribute directly to the vital work we do on and off the pitch.

A Full Evening of Activity at Horsfall

• 5:30pm–7:00pm – Friendly hosted by our front-of-shirt sponsors James Mae Group
• 7:00pm–9:00pm – Bradford Schools Girls vs Wigan
• Clubhouse and bar open for all throughout the evening

What is HONK! Bradford?

HONK! Bradford will transform the district into a vibrant hub of live acoustic music, featuring street performances by bands from across the world. The festival celebrates culture and diversity, with schools, community groups, and local musicians all playing their part.

As well as venue performances like ours, visiting streetbands will be paired with local communities to provide free events across the city in exchange for a warm Bradford welcome – and a good meal.

The celebrations continue on Saturday 27th September, with bands performing in public spaces in the morning before coming together for the Big HONK in Centenary Square that afternoon.

Join Us

We can’t wait to welcome Cacophany Arkestra and celebrate with the Green Army and our wider community. Come along on Friday 26th September for a night of football, music, and fundraising.

Follow Cacophany Arkestra on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cacophanyarkestra/?locale=en_GB

To continue supporting the Foundation’s aims of bringing sport, opportunity and community to Bradford donate here:
👉 https://localgiving.org/charity/bpasportsfoundation

Bradford (Park Avenue) Community Sports Foundation would like to thank Willow Tree Mortgages for their kind donation to our LocalGiving page. Their support helps us deliver life-changing projects for young people across Bradford, using the power of football to inspire, connect, and build stronger communities.

Your support helps us create real opportunities for young people:

⚽ £50 – Runs a free drop-in football session for 16 young people, giving them fun, fitness, and friendship.

⚽ £100 – Provides five children with free places on our holiday multi-sport course, keeping them active and engaged.

⚽ £250 – Funds an inclusive trip for our disability participants, ensuring everyone can join in and feel included.

⚽ £500 – Supports our Play it Forward project, providing mentoring and resilience training for 20 young people in an educational workshop.

💚 Every pound you donate directly builds safer, healthier, and more inclusive communities through football.

👉 Donate today: https://localgiving.org/charity/bpasportsfoundation

Bradford (Park Avenue) AFC, through the BPA Sports Foundation, are delighted to announce an exciting new collaboration with local artist Burley Banksy and Anne Seneviratne, former Ofsted inspector.

The partnership will see the club working alongside both to deliver a series of creative and inspiring projects designed to engage young people across Bradford.

The focus of the collaboration will be to:

• Find innovative ways to engage and inspire young people
• Use the power of football, art, and education to strengthen community links
• Promote the club’s values of belonging, passion, and ambition

By bringing together football, creativity, and education, this partnership will help deliver fresh ideas and new opportunities, strengthening the role of Bradford (Park Avenue) within the local community.

Further updates on this work will be shared in the coming months as the Foundation continues to grow both on and off the pitch.

In addition, the club still has a small number of places available on its Football Education Sport Programmes, based at the Horsfall Community Stadium:

• BTEC Level 3 National Certificate in Sport
• BTEC Level 3 National Foundation Diploma in Sport
• BTEC Level 4 HNC (Higher National Certificate) in Sport

These programmes offer the opportunity to train daily in a professional football environment, study with like-minded people, and access pathways into university, coaching, scholarships, and careers in sport.

Apply now: https://buff.ly/tti1By5

For more information, please email John.Sanderson@bpafc.com

Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation is proud to announce a new initiative in partnership with Sound of Change and Mark Stevens, launching an inspiring community project titled Play It Forward.

This initiative combines the strengths of sport, music, mentorship and storytelling to support young people across Bradford. By offering creative workshops, football sessions and lived-experience testimonies, Play It Forward is designed to help participants develop resilience, confidence and a stronger sense of belonging.

At its core, the project aims to address some of the biggest challenges facing young people today, including mental health pressures, social isolation and exposure to crime. Through creativity and sport, participants will learn to transform lived experiences into positive outcomes while building the skills to make confident, constructive life choices.

What Play It Forward Involves

• Music & Storytelling Workshops – turning personal experiences into songs, poetry and spoken word.
• Community Sports & Mentorship – using football and teamwork to encourage growth, leadership and self-belief.
• Peer Testimonies – young people and mentors sharing stories of resilience and change.
• Media & Content Creation – empowering participants to create and share positive messages through film and digital platforms.

Why It Matters

Play It Forward is more than a single event. It is designed as a catalyst for long-term change, showing young people that their voices matter and their challenges can be overcome. Participants will leave with stronger peer connections, new role models and practical tools to support their mental wellbeing.

Mathew Everett, Community Director, said:
“This is an exciting and creative way to support young people in education with the resources and tools they need to improve mental health outcomes. By combining sport, music, and open discussion, we’re giving young people the chance to express themselves, build resilience, and feel a true sense of belonging. We’re delighted to partner with Mark and his team at Sound of Change and look forward to building a strong, long-term partnership.”

To get in touch with our Community Director Mat Everett, contact him on Mathew.Everett@bpafc.com

Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation is committed to combining sport with opportunity and community support — and Play It Forward is a clear example of that mission in action.

To directly support this initiative, donate here https://localgiving.org/charity/bpasportsfoundation and use code PLAYITFORWARD.