Not just a football club
The vision is simple: a space that's open to everyone who lives near this park, whatever your connection to football. Classes, coffee mornings, somewhere for older residents to spend an afternoon, a proper playground with some shade for once, and a better pitch alongside it. All of it public, all of it ours.
Where things stand
This has been a slow build, done properly. Here's the real sequence of what's happened.
2025
We asked the neighbourhood what it actually wanted
A door-to-door and online survey went out across Five Mile Drive, Linkside and Lakeside. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and full of ideas we hadn't thought of ourselves.
Jul–Aug 2026
Nine Friday evenings, one street at a time
Every Friday over the summer, a different street hosted a barbecue and a bit of music in the park, purely to raise money and prove this community would turn up for something like this. It worked, on both counts.
Aug 2026
Oxford City Council writes back
The council has confirmed, in principle, that it's willing to grant a 99 year lease over the whole park, not just the building, so it can become a genuine community asset rather than a short-term football tenancy.
Now
Design and funding, in parallel
We're briefing an architect on the whole site, and working through a new Football Foundation programme that could cover a large share of the build and legal costs.
Raised so far
Every pound goes towards the pavilion project, kept separate from football club funds. A proper running total is coming soon.
Want to help this along?
This is being built by whoever turns up, not a committee working behind closed doors. There's room for all sorts of help.
An hour on a Friday
Setting up, running the bar, or just being another pair of hands.
A professional skill
We could particularly use an accountant. Architects, engineers and lawyers already on board.
Just stay in the loop
Get in touch and we'll make sure you hear when there's real news.