Wolves' charity name change to expand identity

Club bosses have renamed and rebranded their charity from Wolves Community Trust to the Wolverhampton Wanderers Foundation.

The charity carries out work in the local community, engaging with young people, offering them routes into sport, and providing teachers and volunteers with the opportunity to gain qualifications and accreditations.

Will Clowes, head of the charity, said: “This change is designed to provide stronger identity for fans, supporters and partners with the club’s great image.

“We are a community focussed football club, delivering some innovative projects to improve the lives of local people and Wolves fans.

“This positive change will, I hope, encourage more people to become engaged and continue to build the sense of pride amongst our fans for the commitment and determination we have to make a difference at this club.”

Last season, the work of Wolves’ charity delivered: 30 unique projects of work; 94,000 contact hours in primary schools; offering pathways into sport to over 500 participants with disabilities; staff and volunteers gaining over 100 qualifications and accreditations; type 2 diabetes education programme to 184 people; and supporting 250 boys and girls to make progressions in the Wolves Player Pathway.

Wolves manging director Laurie Dalrymple – who is the charity’s chairman and trustee – added: “I remember when I first arrived at the club being surprised by the scale and diversity of the charitable activities and reach. The change in name and brand will enhance its identity for all involved and, alongside significant additional investment from the Premier League, will encourage more people to get involved in the future.

“The foundation has always, and will always, remain at the heart of what this football club does to engage its community both locally and further afield.”

The charity got official status in 2008. But it dates back to 1991 when it was founded as a community organisation called Wolves In The Community.

This came on the back of a pilot scheme launched in 1986 by the Players’ Football Association, where six north-west clubs launched ‘Football in the Community’ schemes. The schemes grew in popularity, as did their objectives, and are now firmly established as an essential component of the modern-day football club, identifying football’s contribution to social responsibility.

The mission at Wolves to enhance people’s lives by using the unique strength of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club to engage, enable and empower people. This work also forms part of Wolves owners Fosun’s corporate social responsibility among its network of companies.