Bring Ards FC Home Campaign

Last updated: 17th December 2009

» Ards Borough Council have lodged a planning application for their proposed redevelopment of Londonderry Park, incorporating an arena facility that could be utilised by Ards FC... [read more]

» Supporters representing the Bring Ards FC Home campaign have held a short meeting with Council officials to hear the latest progress on the Londonderry Park upgrade... [read more]

» The Bring Ards FC Home campaign has congratulated Councillors for backing the construction of a new football arena. In a public statement, Council members were told that Ards supporters warmly welcomed the agreement to vote through the latest stage of the process... [read more]

» The Council has agreed a £3.6 Million plan to create state of the art sporting facilities at Londonderry Park in Newtownards, including a partly covered arena suitable for intermediate football... [read more]

» At its meeting on Wednesday night, Ards Council voted to accept the recommendation that Londonderry Park be upgraded to provide a community stadium for the town... [read more]

» The Bring Ards FC Home campaign have renewed hope that their team may be close to returning home again, after holding a very positive meeting with Council officials this week... [read more]

» Former Ards striker Stephen Baxter expressed his support for the Bring Ards Home campaign in the local press this week... [read more]

» Ards Borough Council has spoken out publicly for the first time on their proposals to re-develop Londonderry Park. In an open letter to last Thursday's edition of The Chronicle, the council's head of Leisure Services explained that Ards Council are close to submitting a bid for funding to upgrade the Portaferry Road facility... [read more]

» A visit from local MLA Jim Shannon to a recent campaign meeting did much to encourage supporters. At the meeting, Shannon praised the actions of those involved in the Bring Ards FC Home idea and said that it had done much to put the issue of a community stadium front and centre... [read more]

» Local councillor and Alliance member of the Assembly Kieran McCarthy expressed his support for the community stadium with this release on his website. Kieran also met with some Ards supporters, appearing with them in the 12th February edition of the Chronicle.

» The Bring Ards FC Home message reached into Europe this week, with our campaign banner on show during Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifier in San Marino... [read more]


- THE BEGINNING

In late January, a number of Ards supporters met to discuss ways in which Ards FC's desire to return home and play in a new council-owned community stadium could be achieved.

With an encouraging number of supporters in attendance, it was agreed to mount a campaign to put the issue back into the spotlight at a time when Ards Borough Council might be close to making a decision.

A number of ideas were put forward during this meeting and the group agreed to put some of these into practice over the next few weeks.

Our aim to put the need for a community stadium in Newtownards in the spotlight will be pursued through:

  • requesting meetings with local representatives

  • asking local businesses to show their support by placing a notice in their shop front

  • encouraging as many supporters as possible to write to the local press in support of a stadium

  • encouraging supporters to write to their elected Councillors

  • gathering the support of the wider public by circulating a petition

We have engaged a number of supporters to actively pursue many of these issues and we are seeking the involvement of the broadest range of the Ards support in keeping the stadium matter to the fore. Over the first few weeks of the campaign, we have had a tremendous response to the poster placement and have also received ongoing media attention, notably from the Newtownards Chronicle.


- INFORMATION

For all press enquires, please contact Keith Bailie on 07921 126 417

To help with the poster campaign, please contact Sarah Atcheson on 07730 009076

To receive information on writing to the local press, please contact Adrian Monaghan

For any other information, or to offer your help and ideas, contact Andrew McCullough on 07752 38 74 38


- REFERENCES

Press Coverage

The Bring Ards FC Home Campaign has been featured continually in the Newtownards Chronicle as well in other newspapers ... [read more]

Campaign Support

Since 23rd January, supporters have canvassed Newtownards traders, asking them to show their support for a new community stadium by displaying the Bring Ards FC Home poster... [read more]

Further letters written by Ards supporters appeared in the local press this week, all urging Councillors to do what they can to 'Bring Ards Home'... [read more]

Ards Borough Council

A meeting of the full Council on 29th April 2009 voted unanimously to accept the committee recommendation that Londonderry Park be upgraded and that the Council initiates a meeting with relevant stakeholders.... [read more]


- MATERIALS

Campaign Poster

A copy of the Bring Ards FC Home campaign poster is available to download here. We encourage all our supporters to display this poster where they can.

Sample Letter

We encourage all of our supporters to print off a copy of this letter for mailing to your local councillor. There are six copies of the letter contained in this file, each individually addressed to a specific councillor. The letter is available to download here

Petition

A blank copy of the Bring Ards FC Home petition is available to print off here. Once your sheet has been filled, please return it to Ards FC.

Press releases

Release 1

Release 2

Release 3

Release 4

OFFICIAL PARTNER

 

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