Help Secure the Future of Burghclere Sports Club
Burghclere Sports Club has been at the heart of our village for about 80 years.
What began as a small cricket club has grown into a much-loved community hub, with some families proudly involved for five generations.
For many in Burghclere, the club isn’t just a building — it’s where friendships are formed, memories are made, and the community comes together.
In the 1970s, a group of dedicated volunteers made a truly heroic effort to relocate an old WW2 storage shed from Aldershot, transforming it into the clubhouse we know today. That same spirit of community and determination still defines Burghclere Sports Club — and it’s that spirit we’re calling upon now.
A True Community Hub
The Sports Club supports and hosts a wide range of activities that serve all ages across the village and beyond:
- Football teams, from grassroots children’s football through to adult teams
- A Miniature Railway, offering affordable, joyful entertainment for everyone from birth to 90 years old
- Bingo nights, held bi-weekly and providing vital social contact for many of our older residents — some have been playing here for over 50 years
- Pool nights, hosting two teams every Tuesday evening
- Until recently, a motorcycle club that met every Friday night
For many, the club is a lifeline — a place of routine, belonging, and connection.
Why We Need Help Now
Like many community organisations, Burghclere Sports Club is facing increasing financial pressure:
- Rising running costs, including wages, National Insurance contributions, and increased taxes on beer
- Economic pressures that have reduced disposable income for leisure activities
- The age and deterioration of the building itself — now around 50 years old and increasingly costly to maintain
Despite careful management and the tireless efforts of volunteers, these challenges have brought the club to a critical point.
Our Immediate Ask
In the short term, we are seeking support to help cover immediate financial liabilities and keep the club operating while we put longer-term plans in place. A recovery plan was presented to members on 16th December, with an Extraordinary General Meeting scheduled for 29th December.
The community response so far has been incredible, and this support gives us real hope that this moment can be the catalyst for securing the club’s future.
Looking to the Future
Our long-term ambition is simple but bold: to create a modern, sustainable facility that can serve future generations just as the club has served past ones. Over the last decade, there have been several attempts, supported by local stakeholders, to imagine what a new facility could provide. To make that vision a reality, we would likely need to raise in excess of £500,000. While that feels a long way off, stabilising the club financially now is the first and most important step.
How You Can Help
Every donation, no matter the size, helps keep Burghclere Sports Club alive — not just as a building, but as a place where the community comes together. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this page with friends, family, and former members would mean the world to us.
Thank you for supporting Burghclere Sports Club and helping ensure it remains at the heart of village life for generations to come.
