Bosses at Burton Albion Football Club have vowed to help their local community as COVID-19 continues to spread across the UK, offering the club’s stadium as hospital overflow…
Burton Albion Football Club has offered their support to the NHS and emergency services, as well as other vulnerable members of Burton’s community, throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Boxes at the football club’s Pirelli Stadium have been made available to Queen’s Hospital Burton for use as “overflow” for medical appointments and checks, if needed.
The stadium is currently being left unused with the FA suspending all professional football matches on the 10th March, and the vast majority of programmes being ran by Burton Albion Community Trust, the club's charity arm, also being suspended.
Commercial Director of Burton Albion FC, Fleur Robinson said:
"We thought the stadium and the boxes and suites could be useful if hospitals needed overflow space for less urgent checks and appointments or it could be a base for delivering food supplies if the movement of people becomes even more restricted.
"We have contacted the NHS, police and the council and have said that the stadium is available, and we hope we can help.
“We have donated as much food as we can to the YMCA and we have a stock of Easter eggs in the shop that we are now going to donate which hopefully can act as a little pick me up for those in need as well.”
Food that was set to be used for matchday hospitality or conferences at the club has since been donated to the YMCA, to be distributed to those in need. Care packages, including essentials such as food and well-being plans, have also been created by Burton Albion Community Trust.
Head of Community at Burton Albion Community Trust, Matt Hancock commented:
“The well-being packs contain some biscuits and chocolate but also contacts for trust staff and for MIND, as well as a health and well-being plan. They are aimed at our most vulnerable participants on key programmes such as cancer recovery, disability and the extra-time hub.
“These people could well be on their own and feeling isolated and hopefully we can provide some support.”