GUILLEM BALAGUE: Stall at town's market is another chance to connect with local community

Outside of the top tiers of English football I cannot think of many clubs that gets more national and international publicity and recognition than we do here at Biggleswade United.

Over the past couple of weeks we have enjoyed headlines surrounding the signing of Braima Fati, the brother of internationally renowned striker, Ansu Fati, and the painting of two murals at our stadium by world famous graffiti artist David Nash, in media outlets like Sky Sports and The Sun newspaper.

Hardly a month goes past when we don’t get some kind of coverage from national and international press – we constantly receive messages of goodwill from every far flung corner of the globe – and we one of the top three non-League clubs in the country with the biggest following on social media.

Long may it continue.

But as positive and heartwarming it is to have this worldwide recognition there is no substitute for communicating directly with the local community through mediums like this column as well as the market stall we will be holding at the town’s market on Saturday.

Here at Biggleswade United we are proud to be in one of the many places where people want to play and enjoy grassroots football and as an FA Charter Standard accredited club represent our community.

Through events like this market stall we hope to be able to tell those that still don’t know about us about our history, our ethos, what we do and what are plans for the future are.

A club that has over the past few years strengthened its women’s section, boasts an academy that has plans in place to grow year on year, a club that operates an all-inclusive open door policy and one that I am honoured and humbled in equal measure to be chairman of.

In addition to selling club merchandise like hats and scarves we will be distributing leaflets and small gifts, including a band that will give free access to a game at our stadium, including our match later that afternoon (3pm kick-off) against Long Buckby.

I will be there alongside other club officials and volunteers from eight in the morning until 1 pm and we will be joined by some of our teams where we will also be collecting money for our ground sponsors, Keech Hospice Care.

On the pitch, we once again find ourselves at the mercy of the English weather as we struggle with postponed games including this week’s planned local derby against Potton which should have taken place on Tuesday night.

This weekend, weather permitting, in addition to our first team, our Under-23s travel to AFC Oakley on Saturday (2pm kick-off) while, on Sunday, our Ladies Red side face Herts Vipers Women in the Eastern Region League Cup (4.30pm kick-off) at the County Ground in Letchworth and our Ladies Blue side visit Buntingford Town Ladies in the Beds & Herts League Cup (1.30pm kick-off).

See you there!

Guillem