Get ready for an unforgettable football festival at Horsfall Community Stadium! Avey-Fest 2025 promises competitive matches, great food, a family-friendly atmosphere, and lots of memories. Join the #GreenArmy this summer! 💚⚽
📅 Tournament Dates & Formats
👉 Saturday 31st May
AM:
U13 6v6 – FULL – Waiting List
U14 6v6 (Divisions 7–12) – 1 space left
PM:
U11/12 Girls 7v7 – FULL – Waiting List
U13/14 Girls 6v6 – 1 space left
👉 Sunday 1st June
AM:
U15 9v9 – 6 spaces left
PM (Academy Only):
U8 Academy 5v5 – FULL – Waiting List
U9 Academy 7v7 – FULL – Waiting List
U10 Academy 7v7 – FULL – Waiting List
U11 Academy 7v7 – 1 space left
👉 Saturday 7th June
AM:
U7 5v5 – FULL – Waiting List
U8 5v5 – FULL – Waiting List
PM:
U9 7v7 – FULL – Waiting List
U10 7v7 (Divisions 1–6) – 1 space left
👉 Sunday 8th June
AM:
U11 7v7 (Divisions 7–12) – 1 space left
U12 6v6 (Divisions 7–12) – 1 space left
PM:
U10 Girls 7v7 – FULL – Waiting List
EXTRA U8 Mixed 5v5 – 5 spaces left
EXTRA U9 Mixed 7v7 – FULL – Waiting List
EXTRA U10 Mixed 7v7 (Divisions 7–12) – 1 space left
💰 Entry Fee: £40 per team
🎉 Festival Highlights
✅ Competitive football across all age groups ✅ Family-friendly, festival atmosphere ✅ Trophies for winners & medals for runners-up 🏆🥇 ✅ Delicious food, drinks & ice cream stalls 🍔🥤🍦 ✅ On-site toilet facilities 🚻 ✅ Licensed Clubhouse bar 🍻
⚡ Hurry – spaces are extremely limited! Join us for a fantastic weekend of football at Horsfall – let’s make Avey-Fest 2025 the biggest and best yet! 💚⚽
The Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation proudly hosted a powerful and uplifting Interfaith Celebration at the Horsfall Community Stadium today, bringing together people of all faiths, backgrounds, and communities to mark both Eid and Easter through a shared message of unity, education, and belonging.
Football Education Programme Students enjoying the food from Shahida’s Cafe
At the heart of the event was Bradford (Park Avenue)’s expanding Football Education Programme, which empowers young people through sport and study, providing them with the tools to grow, connect, and succeed. This celebration, themed “Exploring the Richness of Different Faiths,” highlighted how football can be a bridge between cultures and a platform for lasting community cohesion.
The event opened with a welcome from Mat Everett, Community Director of the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation, who set the tone for an afternoon built on togetherness and open dialogue. He was followed by reflections from Emma Miller, a long-standing friend of the club, and Anne Seneviratne, the club’s Education Consultant, both of whom spoke passionately about the progress and potential of BPA’s students.
Guest speakers offered a wide range of perspectives. Emon Choudhury, Pride of Britain winner and BBC’s Race Across the World 2020 champion, delivered an inspirational keynote speech focused on the importance of unity and ambition. Vicar Foluso Enwerem, of St Aidan’s Buttershaw and St Michael’s Shelf Churches, offered a moving spiritual reflection on togetherness and faith.
The programme also featured powerful words from Dr Ikram Butt, former England Rugby League international, Salem Kader, Managing Director of Bombay Stores Group and Co-Founder of Positive Bradford, Clive Michallat of Action for Sport, and Humayun Islam of Muslim Friendly Employers—each contributing to a shared narrative of hope, opportunity, and mutual respect.
The event closed with an address from Deputy Lord-Lieutenant Paul Lawrence, representing His Majesty the King, who commended the Foundation’s efforts to use football as a force for good across Bradford.
The Foundation extends a special thank you to Emon Choudhury, whose generous sponsorship of the event and the food helped make the day possible. Guests also enjoyed a fantastic spread provided in partnership with Shahida’s Café, which added to the warm and inclusive atmosphere.
Following the event, guests shared their reflections:
Thomas McStravick, Sporting Director at Bradford (Park Avenue), said: “Absolutely brilliant. Great to see so many people here from different backgrounds and faiths. While we might have different beliefs in terms of our faith, we can all come together as humans—and that we’re on the same page.”
Pete Kenyon, Commercial Director, added: “It was nice to bring different cultures together. We had some good speakers and hopefully our students took it all on board.”
Vicar Foluso said: “It’s been a really joyful and inspiring event. Great to see loads of people here from different backgrounds and heritages, all brought together by football. It’s been really encouraging.”
Emon Choudhury commented: “It was amazing—such a groundbreaking event to be a part of. Great to get so many cultures and religions together in one space. Having that community cohesion is instrumental.”
Humayun Islam added: “It was a great event—it was all about unity. Huge thank you to Mat at BPA for putting this on and bringing all these people together.”
Guests also enjoyed a fantastic spread provided by Shahida’s Café, which added to the warm and inclusive atmosphere on the day.
The event stands as a powerful reminder that the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation, and the club as a whole, is committed to being far more than just a football team—championing diversity, education, and opportunity for all.
Want to get involved? 📧 Community & Events: Mathew.Everett@bpafc.com 📧 Football Education Programme: John.Sanderson@bpafc.com 📝 Sign up for trials on 1st May here: https://forms.gle/JQDRYCDbHVEHcaS79
Bradford (Park Avenue) would like to extend a huge thank you to Shahida’s Café for their ongoing support of our matchdays and their generous contribution to our recent BPA Sports Foundation launch event.
Shahida’s Café has been a valued partner, and their commitment to the club and the local community is truly appreciated. We are proud to work alongside them and look forward to continuing this partnership throughout the season and into the future.
Located at 2 Buttershaw Ln, Bradford BD6 2DD, Shahida’s Café is a fantastic place to enjoy great food in a welcoming atmosphere, and they are also available through UberEats or JustEat, or by phone on 07396 758178.
Thank you, Shahida’s Café, for your continued support!
The Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of Anne Seneviratne as our Education Consultant. With a wealth of experience in the education sector, Anne’s expertise will play a pivotal role in shaping our educational initiatives, building school partnerships, and supporting staff development.
Anne is a former Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) and a qualified English teacher, having worked across the full secondary range. Her senior leadership experience includes roles as Head of Sixth Form, Assistant Principal, and Vice Principal. She later became an Academy Principal before moving to Ofsted, where she inspected a variety of educational provisions, including primary, secondary, and independent schools, as well as Initial Teacher Education (ITE) partnerships.
During her time at Ofsted, Anne was a member of the quality assurance and national training teams. She authored the influential report ‘Key Stage 3: The Wasted Years?’ and contributed to curriculum research that shaped the Education Inspection Framework. Since 2020, she has worked as an educational consultant and school improvement partner, supporting schools across Liverpool and Manchester.
At the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation, Anne’s role will involve enhancing our educational outreach, forging meaningful school partnerships, and leading initiatives that support the development of our staff and young people. We are excited to work alongside her to provide greater opportunities for learning, growth, and community impact.
We’re proud to welcome Anne as our Education Consultant at the Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation. With a wealth of experience in school leadership, curriculum development, and teacher training, she’ll play a key role in strengthening our educational initiatives.
On Thursday, 6th March, Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation held a positive and productive meeting with Bradford’s West Yorkshire Police Early Action Team. This exciting new collaboration aims to use football as a tool to engage and support the wider Bradford community, particularly children and families.
As part of this partnership, the Foundation will deliver off-site football sessions, providing children and young people with structured, enjoyable activities that promote teamwork, discipline, and personal development. These sessions will be a crucial part of ongoing efforts to support young people and create stronger community ties.
Additionally, the Foundation has committed to funding a set number of holiday course places for young people who would benefit from extra support, ensuring that those in need can access fun, engaging activities at no cost. By removing financial barriers, the initiative will help more young people benefit from structured sports programmes during school breaks.
Looking ahead, discussions are underway to launch a football project at Bradford (Park Avenue)’s facilities, specifically designed to combat anti-social behaviour and reduce local crime. By providing a safe and positive outlet for young people, the initiative aims to foster a sense of belonging and purpose within the community.
Mat Everett, Community Director at Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “We’re thrilled to launch this partnership, which will have a lasting impact on the children and families in our community. Together, we’ll create positive change through sport, giving young people the opportunity to grow, develop, and stay engaged in a safe and structured environment.”
This collaboration marks an important step in the Foundation’s ongoing mission to make a difference in the lives of young people across Bradford. By working alongside West Yorkshire Police, Bradford (Park Avenue) Sports Foundation is committed to fostering a safer, more inclusive community through the power of football.
To get involved with our Foundation, contact our Community Director Mathew Everett on Mathew.Everett@bpafc.com.
We are very pleased to announce the addition of Gerry Sutcliffe to our Board of Directors. That appointment has been confirmed today at Companies House.
Gerry has also agreed to join the board of our associated charity, The Horsfall Community Trust.
For most of you, Gerry Sutcliffe will need no introduction as he was an MP for Bradford South for over twenty years and the former Minister of Sport and Tourism. He was educated locally at Cardinal Hinsley and Bradford College and was a former leader of Bradford Council.
He has been a supporter of the football club since childhood and remains a keen advocate for the development of sport in South Bradford.
The Board is delighted to have him representing the club locally, which is an aspect of our governance that has been missing.
On joining the Board of directors of Bradford Park Avenue and becoming a trustee of the stadium trust Gerry SUTCLIFFE said
I’m delighted and proud to be asked to join the board by Gareth Roberts and his colleagues. As a child BPA played a big part in my life helping me make life long friendships and today I enjoy playing walking football at Horsfall. I share Gareth’s vision for the club and stadium and will use my experience to turn it into a reality.
The Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy project is funded by the National League Trust and delivered in partnership between The Horsfall Community Trust and BPA Academy. The project is aimed at promoting healthy choices and getting children and young people into good habits, early, to help boost their wellbeing and performance.
The project has been delivered in schools and throughout the BPA Player Pathway.
Avenue partner with THCT to deliver Eat Healthy Stay Healthy project to help deliver positive messages and activities around the importance of eating a healthy diet and living an active lifestyle. Eat Healthy Stay Healthy is funded by The National League Trust. The project has been working in local primary schools and aims to help improve health and wellbeing among the children taking part.
Ann Cosgrove from Allerton CE Primary said;
“I have worked with BPA staff for 3 occasions each time for two full weeks. They are excellent and have a much wider range of skills than simply delivering football. The message really does hit home when professional football coaches are talking about the importance of healthy eating and exercise. Our children love it.”
Academy Technical Director and Community Lead Tom McStravick said;
“We are very mindful of the current cost of living crisis and the impact that this will have, longer term, on our children. As a football club and community focused organisation we are in a great position to be able to make a positive impact on people’s lives. Our school partners have been great and very supportive in our work.”
The Horsfall Community Trust and Bradford (Park Avenue) are planning to extend this project into September 2023 and look forward to an exciting journey ahead.
The Academy have teamed up with the National League Trust and The Horsfall Community Trust to deliver a project to 20 men to help with their health and general wellbeing. The project will provide fun structured coaching sessions along with some sound advice around healthy eating habits, how to easily improve / increase daily and weekly physical activity to help with weight-loss and general wellbeing. GPS technology will be provided to measure impact of training and fitness.
A celebration event will be held to highlight the achievements of each participant. Hospitality will be provided at a BPA men’s first team game.
The project is based at the Horsfall Community Stadium and using the fantastic facilities on site. Anyone interested in joining should email thomas.mcstravick@bpafc.com or contact on 07821579451.
