I Went To a Strip Club (but this is about Cray Wanderer's Football Club!)

I've never been to a strip club before although I have been to some hole in the walls that weren't far off. Just so happens, the new home of London's oldest football club, the Cray Wanderers, is on the site of premises previously used for pole dancing and bottom wiggling.

The 'break out' rooms are still there too. It was quite an eye-opener! Disappointingly, the pole had been taken down when Cray Wanderer's moved in.

I was there to meet Sam Wright, CWFC Chief Exec and club chairman, Gary Hillman. Sam is a fellow member of BNI Lighting and pretty sure I used to serve him and his teammates' beer at the Frontier Post in Bexleyheath, many moons ago. My purpose today? To find out more about the football club and what I could do to help them because this is a local team trying to do great things.

They're bringing the Wanderers back to their home turf at the gateway to the Crays, building a brand new stadium at Flamingo Park.

Aside from the teams of children and adults who find enjoyment and purpose in 'the beautiful game', Cray Wanderers also has an active community scheme, encouraging people to get involved in sport, traineeships for youngsters who are thinking about becoming a coach, and a 12-month apprenticeship scheme for young people serious about getting qualified as coaches. They also run inset training days for teachers, helping build their confidence and delivery of PE in schools. Sam also re-signed their oldest player shortly before lockdown: George Taylor originally signed for Cray Wanderers in 1938 and earlier this season, with George having turned 100 years old, he was back on the pitch, enjoying a kick-about with some of the first team.

Cray Wanderers are on a mission: to enhance lives and empower people through sport, to bring about better social cohesion, to improve the quality of sports in the area, and to create pathways into employment. In addition, the venture is supporting hundreds of local jobs as the stadium work progresses.

But, they need our help - now more than ever when COVID-19 has impacted sponsorship and funding.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that because they're a football club, they're too big to need you. At this point, it's all hands to the pump, or preferably, into the pocket.

So, how can you get involved?

1) Join the 100 Club a monthly prize draw. It's £8 per number and there are cash prizes every month.

2) Become a sponsor. Opportunities start at £500 to feature in the matchday programme and online.

3) Share this article and raise awareness!

Not only that, but tradespeople who sponsor the club will also have the opportunity to bid for £130 million of business!

Cray Wanderers are all about community, about making this community a better place to live, helping people find purpose, create a focal point for community spirit, help people get fit and hopefully, make lifelong friends. They're exactly the sort of organisation we should all be behind because, without them, as a community, we are not just wandering; we are lost.

So, whether you like football matters not. Cray Wanderers is for the community. It's time for the community to get behind them.