Birmingham City is launching a groundbreaking £3.5m plan to support their work in the community after an OFSTED inspection at one of their partner schools revealed a significant increase in wealth.
King Edward VI Balaam Wood Academy is a school where 97 per cent of students receive free school meals and is the first to convert to an academy school through the Birmingham City Foundation school partner programme.
Foundation coaches have been working every day during the school timetable at Balaam Wood since last year when the school was given a ‘requires improvement’ rating by OFSTED’s school inspectorate.
Balaam Wood has just been upgraded by two levels to ‘good’ in their latest review, with OFSTED pointing to the partnership with Birmingham City as an example of how they go above and beyond for their students.
The City of Birmingham is wasting no time in building on this and is now set to launch the 1875 Club to fund the roll out of their schools program in various parts of the city and surrounding areas.
The 1875 Club marks the birth of the club 149 years ago and is a private members club offering 1,875 people the chance to contribute £1,875 to join the football club’s efforts to help rejuvenate the city.
The premise of the club is that the city has been very good to many people and many owe their success to Birmingham.
Please use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights from the Sky Bet Championship match between Birmingham and Middlesbrough
They hope the innovative scheme, which gives those with the broadest shoulders the chance to support parts of the city that need help, will raise £3.5 million to support the club’s work with schools as well as other community projects.
Singh takes on the Blues role
last month, Sky Sports News Panjabi Blues co-founder Sukh Singh will head up Birmingham City’s new Official Supporters Clubs (OSC) network, it has been revealed. Alongside his Platinum pal Paul Delves.
Singh has featured prominently in a number of Blues for Good initiatives in recent years, with his Panjabi Blues band raising over £11,500 for Blue Nose Day in December in support of Birmingham City’s partnership with Birmingham Children’s Trust after organizing the first Sleep Out at St Andrews.
Birmingham City chief executive Gary Cook discusses the club’s work at Balaam Wood Academy
An instantly recognizable figure at home and away, Singh was part of Birmingham City’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion steering group last season.
He also appeared live Sky Sports News to respond to the announcement Tom Brady became a minority owner in the club.
Please use the Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Panjabi Blues founder and chairman Sukh Singh has responded to the news of Tom Brady’s investment in Birmingham City.
Singh said Sky Sports News. “It is an honor and a privilege to serve such a great institution as Birmingham City Football Club.
“The Official Supporters’ Club gives us a unique opportunity to come together in the right way, bringing Blues fans everywhere closer to the club and making them part of the special journey this football club is embarking on.”
British South Asians in Football
For more stories, features and videos, visit our fashion South Asians in Football at skysports.com and stay behind Sky Sports News and: our Sky Sports digital platforms.
Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp.
Now you can start receiving messages and alerts for the latest sports news, analysis, in-depth features and videos from our dedicated WhatsApp channel.
