2025: THE YEAR THE FOUNDATION HIT £1MILLION!

AFC Wimbledon Foundation has continued to expand its reach, deepen its impact and demonstrate the strength of its community-focused model. The latest annual report (for the year ending 30th June 2025) reveals a charity that is not only responding to local need but doing so at an increasingly significant scale. It was a milestone year for us!

Record Levels of Activity and Community Engagement

What began in 2013 as a sports-focused outreach programme has grown into a pillar of support for people right across South-West London. The Foundation’s work centres on four key pillars: social inclusion, sports participation, education and health, using sport as a vehicle to achieve broader community outcomes.

A snapshot of the Foundation’s activity shows that it now engages thousands of people each week, providing everything from walking football for older adults to holiday programmes for children, mental wellbeing sessions and support for young people into education, training and employment. Recent figures show the Foundation organising over 33 weekly programmes, engaging thousands of local participants aged from 4 to 96, with hundreds benefiting directly from health and educational initiatives.

Financial Growth

One of the most striking stories in this year’s report is the scale of financial growth the Foundation has experienced in a relatively short period.

The 2024-25 financial year marked a significant milestone for AFC Wimbledon Foundation, with total income reaching £1,032,217. This represents an increase of 24.9% compared to 2023-24 (£826,631), reflecting continued growth across multiple income streams and the expanding scale of the Foundation’s work.

Of the total income, £723,223 was unrestricted, providing essential flexibility to respond to community needs, while £308,995 was restricted, supporting specific funded programmes and targeted initiatives, highlighting both the charity’s ambition and its ability to attract funding and support to meet the needs of the community.

This reflects both expanded programme delivery and successful funding applications aligned to community need.

Surpassing the £1 million income threshold is a landmark achievement for the Foundation. When viewed alongside the 2019, income of £281,915, it demonstrates remarkable and sustained growth over a relatively short period, underlining the organisation’s strengthened reputation, broadened partnerships and deepening impact across south-west London.

During 2024–25, AFC Wimbledon Foundation continued to expand and embed provision across several key areas, including mentoring, youth work, women and girls’ football, and fan engagement through fundraising. Alongside strengthening established delivery, the Foundation also introduced a series of new initiatives to respond to emerging needs within the community.

These included:

• LeaDon - Female Coaching Project, supporting more women into coaching pathways and leadership roles within the game.

• DIVERT - Custody Intervention Programme, working with young people at the point of police custody to help prevent reoffending and provide positive onward routes.

• Street Soccer - Tackling Youth Homelessness, using football as a means of engagement and support for young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

• Parkinson’s Walking Football, creating inclusive physical activity opportunities for individuals living with Parkinson’s.

• Richmond upon Thames College - Education and Football Project, combining academic study with structured football provision to support progression and personal development.

Whilst our other programmes delivered some incredible statistics:

Sports Participation

• 4,020 girls and women engaged through community sessions, schools, development centres and holiday camps

• 214 participants on our Player Development Centre

• 279 participants at Football For All

• 705 young people attended Holiday Camps

Education & Employment

• 79 young people (11–24) mentored into education, training and employment

• 926 pupils across 20 schools engaged through Stadium Schools (PLPS)

• 61 pupils on Education Football Projects

• 12 targeted intervention projects supporting children disengaged from learning

Social Inclusion

• 420 young people (8–18) supported through weekly PL Kicks sessions

• 37% increase in SEND participation on PL Kicks year-on-year

• 50 young adults (18–25) supported through DIVERT, our custody-based intervention programme

Health & Wellbeing

• 195 ethnic minority women and girls engaged through culturally tailored activities and our first female-only Dons Fit programme

• 200+ older adults supported each week through Walking Football, Active Ageing, Veteran Breakfast and Dons Fit programmes

During 2024-25, AFC Wimbledon Foundation continued to grow a diverse and community-driven fundraising model, raising vital income through national partners, local funders, corporate supporters and public generosity.

Three public appeals alone generated over £29,000, while standout challenge and community events, including a sponsored skydive, cycle challenge and Festival of Football raised more than £48,000 combined.

Our regular giving programme grew to 65 committed supporters contributing over £10,000 annually, alongside five major donors giving four- and five-figure gifts, including a transformational £70,460 donation to support the LeaDon project.

Club-led fundraising raised almost £6,000, and initiatives like Goals for Good: bringing fans directly into the action. This combined with our incredible programmes continue to be the powerful engine behind our million-pound year.

Looking Ahead: Continued Growth and Community Confidence

With finances in good order, reporting up to date with the Charity Commission, and strong community engagement across all age groups, the Foundation is poised for further growth. The story from 2019 to 2025 - from under £300,000 of income to nearly £1 million in total support - reflects strategic ambition, operational excellence and deep community trust.

The coming year will be an opportunity to build on this strong foundation: expanding programmes, strengthening partnerships and continuing to ensure that AFC Wimbledon Foundation remains at the heart of community life in south-west London and continue to have the ambition of being London’s leading community club .