BST column: Help us to make it a Happy Christmas for those less fortunate

As we rapidly approach Christmas, it is a time when we dwell upon those who struggle to enjoy it in the same way that others do.

It is particularly uplifting that our own football club is once again leading from the front this year with the annual relaunch of their Festive Fundraiser.

This initiative dates back to 2020, when the numbers of children in Blackpool who receive no Christmas presents – around a thousand – became widely known.

The club has had magnificent support from the local community and businesses in tackling this problem.

Led by our award-winning Community Trust, they have raised more than £100,000 and donated nearly 6,000 presents to local children since 2020.

BST will be supporting this as generously as we are able to. Our ability is directly linked to income from membership fees and 1953 Sweepstake with details at https://www.blackpoolsupporterstrust.com/1953-sweepstake

In much the same spirit, we are collaborating with our charitable partner, Home Start, in donating a Blackpool FC mascot package to a local family for our home game with Stevenage on December 21.

BST sponsors a mascot for every home league game, the majority of these donated to youngsters in our members’ families.

We also set aside a small number each year for children who are not connected with our organisation, but who are interested in football and would ordinarily not be able to afford to go to a game.

If this is a time of year when we look forward to family celebrations, it is also one when we look back and commemorate those we lost in the 20th century’s two major conflicts as well as others that followed them.

BST, helped by our generous benefactors, have recently collaborated with BFC and its Community Trust to buy six pairs of season tickets for the remainder of the campaign.

We have deliberately paired adult and child tickets, so that deserving families who might not be able to afford the cost of match tickets can watch a game courtesy of our members and sweepstake players.

Last Saturday’s home game with Northampton Town was the nearest to the Remembrance Day commemorations.

With the Community Trust’s help, we were able to ensure the tickets we sponsored went to local Armed Forces Veterans and their grandchildren for the day.

We also have been paying close attention to developments at the national level.

The most significant is the new government bringing back an amended version of the Football Governance Bill.

BST’s view is that it represents a significant improvement on the version that preceded it.

The final shape of provisions relating to the way clubs engage and consult with their fans is most relevant to us.

The Bill has been strengthened in this area too, but the regulatory rules and guidance that accompany the legislation will be vital.

The concept of regarding fans as partners, who should have a say in key decisions that directly affect them, is still not established in the game.

This Bill is hopefully going to change that for the better – and hopefully for good.