The Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation is proud to announce Brush Strokes of Belonging — a unique creative and active workshop taking place at Horsfall Community Stadium on Monday 27 October 2025 (10am–2pm).

Designed for young people aged 8–16 — with a particular focus on neurodivergent children and young people with autism, ADHD, and SEMH needs — this special event offers a supportive environment to express creativity, build confidence, and connect through sport and art.

Delivered in partnership with Burley Banksy (Andy McVeigh) and SENDiVERSE Festival 2025, the workshop will give participants the opportunity to design and paint large-scale football-themed banners that celebrate community, belonging, and self-expression. Each banner will be proudly displayed around the stadium, allowing young people to see their creativity showcased in a public space.

Alongside the art sessions, participants will also enjoy inclusive football activities led by Foundation coaches — promoting teamwork, fun, and physical wellbeing in a relaxed, supportive setting. The combination of art and sport reflects the Foundation’s mission to make every child feel valued, confident, and connected, both on and off the pitch.

The celebration doesn’t end there — all participants will be invited back for a follow-up event on Saturday 15 November 2025, when Bradford (Park Avenue) host Consett (3pm kick-off). The young artists will attend the match as official mascots, with their artwork displayed around the ground, celebrating inclusion, creativity, and community spirit.

💚 Event Details
Date: Monday 27 October 2025
Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Location: Horsfall Community Stadium, BD6 2NG
For: Young people aged 8–16 (must be accompanied by a parent/carer)
Focus: Neurodivergent children and young people with autism, ADHD, and SEMH needs

🎨 Follow-Up Event:
Saturday 15 November – Bradford (Park Avenue) vs Consett (3pm KO)
Participants will attend as matchday mascots and see their artwork showcased around the ground.

👉 Sign up here: https://forms.gle/Bb8RF71WtBmemm1y5
📩 For more information: Mathew.Everett@bpafc.com

A few weeks ago, the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation was proud to represent our community at the Rotary District Conference, held at the historic Scarborough Spa.

The two-day event celebrated the outstanding work of Rotary clubs across Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire in supporting young people, the environment, health, and community wellbeing.

Our Community Director, Mat Everett, was invited to present as part of the Youth Showcase, delivering an engaging session on the Foundation’s partnership work with Rotary and the positive impact these projects are having in Bradford.

Mat highlighted the progress of key initiatives including Rotary Kickback, Breaking Barriers, and our ongoing Extra Time Club sessions — all designed to use football as a force for good, helping young people build confidence, resilience, and community connection.

The conference featured an inspiring range of speakers, including keynote presentations from Rev. Kate Bottley and Christa Ackroyd, alongside panels exploring youth engagement, leadership, and wellbeing. Attendees also enjoyed live performances from a Rotary Young Musician finalist, interactive showcases, and a live illustrator capturing the energy of the weekend.

💚 The Foundation would like to thank Rotary in Yorkshire & North Lincolnshire for the invitation and their continued support of our work. Together, we’re creating opportunities and changing lives through sport, education, and partnership.

👉 Support the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation and our work across the community: https://localgiving.org/charity/bpasportsfoundation

The Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation has released a powerful new video showcasing the impact of its Breaking Barriers initiative — an education and prevention programme tackling knife crime, violence, and anti-social behaviour through honest discussion, lived experience, and sport.

The video features Councillor Naushad Moosa, ward officer for Royds Ward, alongside pupils who attended the event at Horsfall Community Stadium, where young people took part in interactive workshops, football activities, and inspiring sessions with guest speakers including Tim Haigh of Lived Experiences.

Councillor Moosa said:

“Knife crime doesn’t just affect individuals — it affects families, friends, and whole neighbourhoods. Too many lives have been changed or lost because of one bad decision or one moment of anger.”

“This workshop is about changing that story — it’s about awareness, prevention, and giving young people the confidence to make positive choices.”

During the event, pupils shared what they learned about decision-making, consequences, and responsibility:

“It’s been a great experience to come to Bradford Park Avenue because we’ve learned a lot — if you have a knife, you’ve got to think before you do something. If a friend tells you to do something wrong and you just do it, the police can arrest you, and like Tim said, it’s a horrible feeling.”

Another participant reflected:

“Violence is not okay. We learned so much about how to keep ourselves safe — and that carrying a knife could mean a lifetime in jail.”

Breaking Barriers was developed by the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation in collaboration with West Yorkshire Police, the NHS, and Lived Experiences, to help young people see the real impact of violent choices — not through fear, but through understanding, empathy, and truth.

Councillor Moosa praised the approach, adding:

“This kind of work is proactive, not reactive. It’s about education, prevention, and reaching young people early — giving them the right tools to make better decisions.”

💚 The Foundation would like to thank Councillor Naushad Moosa, Tim Haigh, and all the schools and partners involved in delivering another meaningful and inspiring Breaking Barriers event.

👉 Watch the full video below and support our ongoing community work: https://localgiving.org/charity/bpasportsfoundation

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