It comes as part of what appears to be a series of thefts from local sporting groups, including those in Holsworthy and Newton Abbot. While police continue to pursue lines of inquiry, Bude’s beloved football club is now turning to residents in order to fund new equipment.
The New Holland Boomer 25 Compact tractor, is valued at £16,500 and thus, the club has said it is unable to fund such a purchase on its own, leading to representatives setting up a GoFundMe page.
Commenting on the decision, a spokesperson from the club said: “As you may know, on Saturday, December 13, Bude Town Football Club was sadly broken into, and our tractor was stolen. This has truly been a devastating setback for us.
“The tractor is essential and crucial to the daily operation and maintenance of our football grounds at Broadclose Park and the youth pitches next door. This tractor was not just a piece of equipment, it was our biggest asset and it played a vital part in keeping the pitches safe, playable, and up to the high standards for football matches.”
The club has expressed that the equipment is key to keeping its programmes running, including those which welcome hundreds of children and its three adult teams.
The spokesperson continued: “Our non-profit making community football club caters for 100's of children all all ages and three adult teams that use the facilities week in, week out, and losing our tractor has hit us hard.
“Replacing it will be very costly and this unexpected cost has put a significant financial strain on us. We just cannot find this level of funding in such a short period of time.
“We are reaching out to our fantastic community, supporters of our club, past and present players, families, friends and local business owners for help. Every donation - no matter the size - will go directly towards replacing the stolen tractor, ensuring our pitches remain safe and playable, and protecting the future of our club and its players.”
With a funding target of £2,000 the club hopes that local support will help ensure the club can continue to offer the variety of sporting opportunities that his has until now.
The spokesperson concluded: “Even if you cannot donate, please, please share this fundraiser as it will mean just as much to us.
“Thank you for standing with our club during this difficult time, your support will help us get back on our feet and keep football alive in our community.”
So far, the community has already shown its support by digging deep into their pockets, with more than £700 having already been donated to the cause.
Those looking to donate to the club’s fundraiser can do so via: www.gofundme.com/f/bude-town-football-club-tractor
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