About us
Our story of true Yorkshire Grit
The Huddersfield Town Foundation was officially launched in July 2012 by then Huddersfield Town Chairman, Dean Hoyle. The launch of the Foundation created further initiatives to benefit young people across the Kirklees community, such as trips to the Play-Off Final games at Manchester United’s Old Trafford (May 2011) and Wembley Stadium (May 2012), with almost 2,000 children attending. These trips offered families a rare opportunity to create lasting memories and enjoy the game free of charge, with tickets and travel paid for through fundraising activities such as bike rides from Huddersfield to Wembley, the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge and ‘It’s a Knockout’.
With a remit of improving the lives of young people across the region, the Town Foundation created the ‘Early Kick-Off’ Breakfast Club initiative to ensure that children started their learning day in school with a healthy and nutritious breakfast.
The first breakfast club launched at Christchurch Academy in July 2012, with the charity harnessing the football club’s unique position within the community to pull together several charitable businesses to provide this at no cost to the children.
The Foundation now proudly facilitates 41 Early Kick Off breakfast clubs across the region and has served well over two million breakfasts to local children.
In April 2016, Julian Winter was appointed Chief Executive of Huddersfield Town. With a strong background in football club community operations, and after setting up community departments at Sheffield Wednesday and Watford, Julian was keen for HTAFC to have a strong and thriving community programme, which complimented the existing community offer.
In December 2016, the Foundation’s Memorandum and Articles of Association were expanded to reflect a new focus on empowering ‘ONE CLUB ONE COMMUNITY’, irrespective of any protected characteristics. In addition to fundraising activities, the Foundation turned its focus to five key areas: Trust; Sport; Inclusion; Education and Health.
In an unforgettable display, David Wagner led Huddersfield Town to victory in the 2017 Championship Play-Off Final and promotion to the Premier League. Working in collaboration with the Football Club, the Foundation has gained access to funding from the Premier League, which has dramatically changed the landscape of our reach within the local community. As demand has grown for products and services, so too has the staff body. The Foundation now employees over twenty staff. The staff team has since moved from working at hot desks dotted around the Club’s training ground, the Millers Oil High Performance Complex to our own office facility situated within Leeds Road Sports Complex.
The Huddersfield Town Foundation now strives to use the power of the Football Club to engage, inspire and have a positive impact in our local community.
We feel we can have the most impact in four key areas: Learning & Education, Health & Healthy Behaviours, Safe Spaces & Places and Movement & Activity.
Our Trustees
Our Board of Trustees share ultimate responsibility for the governance of our Foundation and a legal responsibility for how it is managed and run. They are volunteers in this capacity.
We are fortunate to be supported by a committed body of local influencers.
Our Staff
The Town Foundation is driven by a passionate team of contracted and casual staff.
Our Values
Vision:
Create lifelong opportunities for people in Kirklees to feel safe, healthy and included as part of a community.
Mission:
Tackle the consequences of inequality by working to provide positive opportunities and support to the community of Kirklees.
Values:
Collaborative
Open and Brave
Imaginative and Inspiring
Consistent and Determined
Caring and Respectful
Safeguarding
Huddersfield Town Association Football Club (this incorporates the Academy and the Huddersfield Town Foundation, charity number 1146501 and will be referred to throughout as the Club) endorses and promotes Affiliated Football’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and endorses and adopts the principles of the Policy statement contained in that document alongside any additional guidance provided by the Premier League.
Terriers Together
We have a zero-tolerance approach towards discriminatory language and behaviour. We actively promote equality and celebrate diversity as demonstrated through our work towards achieving the Premier League Equality Standard, and our support of a range of campaigns including: Level Playing Field; Rainbow Laces; Football vs Homophobia and Kick It Out.
Annual Review
In our Annual Review, you can learn about the impact of our work in the local community.
To download a copy of the Huddersfield Town Foundation’s audited financial statements for 2017/18 please click here.
To request a copy of previous Annual Reviews or our Annual Review in an alternative format, please get in touch via the Contact page.
Recruitment
The Huddersfield Town Foundation seeks to ensure that the talents of all employees are used to the fullest and that opportunities afforded to employees and prospective employees will be solely on the grounds of capability.
In order that this may be achieved, no employee or job applicant will receive less favourable treatment by the Foundation on any of the following grounds: gender, marital status, race or ethnic origin, religious belief, age, sexual orientation, disability or any other unjustifiable reason. This policy applies to all current and prospective employees.
Vacancies
Casual Coaches
We are always looking for Casual Coaches. If you hold an FA Level 2 or equivalent sports qualification, please submit an application by email to recruitment@htafcfoundation.com
Or, for an informal chat, please contact our main office on 01484 503773.