Colchester United

The Trust was a founding stakeholder in the project to construct the Weston Homes Community Stadium (“the Community Stadium”) and became a valuable contributor to  At that time the Trust were judged to be the most capable 

its development. organisation available to the Stadium Board to lead the community development process and to contribute to the various stakeholder engagement programmes that would shape our whole community ethos and make the Community Stadium a real asset  Consequently in 2008, the Trust not only took a lease on 

for the whole of Colchester. offices and 5-a-side pitches from the opening of the Community Stadium but also on the 

designated community space (known as the Imagine Centre and the Community Café).

It was perhaps inevitable that in this era of austerity the Trust’s dependency upon public sector funding would place it under substantial financial pressure and the Stadium Board has done everything that it reasonably could to appreciate and assist the Trust throughout this difficult period without compromising our demands upon them to deliver their share of the community engagement from the Community Stadium.

In December 2012, the Trust informed the Stadium Board that in order to survive it needed to withdraw from its role and leases at the Community Stadium and, because of the valuable work the Trust does from its original home base at Shrub End, the Stadium  Sadly this does not appear to have had the 

Board agreed to support this request. desired effect. Nevertheless the Stadium Board would like to put on record its thanks to the Trust for all that it has done to promote community use and benefit at the Community Stadium.

The Stadium Board remains confident of its ability to develop and grow the Community Stadium as a community asset that the people of Colchester have supported and which will continue to provide an excellent home for both Colchester United Football Club and for local hospitality and activities through the Colchester Stadium Experience.