Who are Burnley FC in the Community?

Welcome back to the Mike Garlick Burnely football club unofficial blog. Burnley FC in the Community (BFCitC); the award-winning, official charity of Burnley Football Club. We believe in the immense power of our football club to transform people’s lives for the better. They work hard every day to deliver their mission across the communities of Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, the Ribble Valley and West Yorkshire. They set out to inspire, support and deliver positive change for all. alues are the foundation of everything we do and accomplish as an organisation. They are the lynch-pin which embeds everything together. They commented on their website: ''Without the unwavering commitment to our values by the Board of Trustees, our staff and volunteers, Burnley FC in the Community would not be the organisation it is today''. Here is a snapshot of their latest Twitter:

Burnley chairman Mike Garlick has reiterated the club's takeover stance insisting that the future of the Clarets is in prime focus.

Burnley are in talks with two interested parties with Egyptian businessman Mohamed El Kashashy and sports lawyer Chris Farnell and American investment group ALK Capital LLC keen on a deal.

El Kashashy and Farnell are confident of securing a deal and it is understood that the pair have signed a Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA), provided proof of funding and are awaiting Owners' and Directors Test clearance.

But ALK remain very much in the running and harbour hopes of completing a deal themselves having continued to hold talks with Clarets officials last week.

Burnley released a statement during the international break to confirm talks were ongoing and Garlick has now had his say on the subject.

"You will have read the statement I issued recently regarding investment in the club," said Garlick in the programme for Burnley's Premier League game with Crystal Palace on Monday night.

"Nothing has changed on that front, other than to say we remain in discussions with interested parties regarding future investment in the club.

"We won’t comment further until any discussions reach a conclusion, but I would just reiterate and reassure everyone that the future of Burnley Football Club remains the primary concern in these issues.

Any potential investment needs to support the club’s long-term sustainability and retain its position as a cornerstone of the local community.

"As custodian, you would expect nothing less from me and so, any final decision will only be made once we are satisfied all criteria have been met."

The future of the club being at the forefront of Garlick's mind will be of great significance to Clarets fans who have been concerned about the involvement of Farnell given his associations with Charlton.

It is understood that should he and El Kashashy come in then they would not be looking to asset strip the club or secure funding against either Turf Moor or the training ground while they would be keen to retain all staff.

That won't prevent a degree of trepidation from the supporter base with some voicing their discontent at the prospect of an El Kashashy/Farnell takeover on social media, although Burnley's statement that the future of the club remains the primary concern should come as some reassurance.

With the two camps both painting a positive picture, it remains to be seen who, if either, will get a deal over the line but everyone involved wants a resolution in the coming weeks.

There was hope from both interested parties that concluding something by the end of November was a possibility but it now seems likely any resolution won't be reached until next month.Find out more about Mike Garlick Burnley here 

 Burnley FC announce charity support

In the run up to their game against Watford, which resulted in a 0-0 draw on Saturday, Alan Pace has made some announcements. He stated that £2 from every £10 ticket will be donated to Tommy’s, a charity close to Ben’s heart. Tommy’s helped continue to help thousands of people every day who have been affected by miscarriage, stillbirth, and premature birth. Hoping to get the team up the league, and also support their local community, Burnley FC have also announced more donations and ticket price freezes.

The Clarets also agreed to donate a thousand tickets for the game to their award-winning charity. This is called Burnley FC in the Community. The charity has been distributing the tickets to local schools in return for a donation to ELHT&Me, the charity of East Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. ELHT&Me fundraise to help enhance patient and staff environment and experience across five local hospitals - Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, Burnley General Teaching Hospitals, Accrington Victoria, Clitheroe, and Pendle Community Hospitals.

They have decided to freeze our season ticket prices again, as we have for a number of years now. Good news, season tickets are now on sale at the frozen prices. Mike Garlick is known to attend the matches, and so you may just see him there. Burnley FC in the community is focussed into key areas: Education & Employability, Community Welfare & Inclusion, Football Development and Community Facilities. They deliver over 50 community projects that touch the lives of people of all ages in communities in and around Burnley.

Their aims include to Support the community to live healthy lives, create a level playing field for all to engage in sport and physical activity, ensure we are a needs-led charity and focus on addressing the ‘root cause’ of social issues. Burnley FC in the Community also support and inspire children and young people to reach their full potential. You can get in touch with the registered charity by email at: community@burnleyfc.com . Find out more about the football club and director Mike Garlick online.

 Watch this video with Mike Garlick to learn more: