Botanic Fire AFC Named East Riding FA Charter Standard Club of the Month for May

The East Riding FA Charter Standard Club of the Month Award recognises clubs in our county who are going above and beyond to create fun, safe and inclusive environment for people to play and enjoy football.

Formed at the start of the 2020 / 2021 season by a group of friends who had long since hung up their football boots after playing for a number teams across the county, Botanic Fire AFC was created to fill a football void. Initially the plan was to enter the Hull and District Veterans Football League due to the average of their player but to their credit they decided to forgo this opportunity and decided to take a plunge and entered the MKM Hull Sunday Men's Football League.

The club is a focal point for many members of the HU5 community with members encouraged to share their life experiences so that they can help tackle difficult subjects such as loss, depression and anxiety. Everybody is encouraged to open up and all members of the community are embraced. As an inclusive football club they have showed solidarity with members of the LGBT+ and BAME community and have partnered with organisations such as Stonewall.

Not only does the club promote friendship and integration they have also taken steps to help those people in our society who are in most need. Recently the club took on a running challenge with the intention of raising money for a local Hull charity called Doorsteps of Hull. This challenge helped raise vital funds for homeless people and also helped bring people in the club closer together.

Going forward the club hopes to continue to build and continue to educate their players on what they believe are the correct ethos and values that everyone involved in sport should hold. They also hope to grow and provide a platform for people to play football in a fun environment while continuing to be competitive on the pitch. 

Club Chairman Lance Dillon said; "It feels great to be recognised for the efforts we have put in to our football club. It's nice to know that a new team in the lower leagues can still be recognised for the work they put in."

If your club has done something outstanding and deserves recognising, then please click here to make your nomination for the June East Riding FA Charter Standard Club of the Month Award