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MEET THE TEAM
UP TOP
At the outset, a handful of schools on our books, and a few football camps in the school holidays. An increase in different activities and more staff followed, allowing us to establish Bradford City Disability FC, Billy Bantam’s Penalty Shootouts, nurture a relationship with NCS, set up our Football and Education Programme offering BTEC qualifications, running the Women and Girls arm of the Club, as well as the Football Development Programme.
We currently are being supported by the Club in establishing and running the all-new Fanzone for the 2024/25 season at BEAP Community Partnership - it never stops at Foundation HQ!
In September 2007, we became an official charity, becoming the Bradford City FC Community Foundation you know. We currently have eight trustees, 25 full-time staff, several volunteers, relationships with the majority of schools in Bradford, and a diverse, impactful range of programmes and projects aimed at supporting the diverse needs of the diverse people in our city.
There are far too many programmes and projects for me to go into detail on all of them, so I’ll leave it to the experts - I am delighted to introduce you to our Foundation and our team. I encourage you to take the time to get to know them and the incredible work they do for our city.
IAN 'STICKS' ORMONDROYD,
CEO
I started at the Foundation, when it was then known as Bradford City FC In the Community, as Community Manager in 1999, after retiring from a 14-year career as a professional footballer. My journey at Bradford started in September 1985, and after four very happy years I headed to Aston Villa to play in, as it was then called, the First Division, finishing second in the league in the 1989/90 season, getting into Europe, and losing out to Inter. Moves to Derby and Leicester followed, including three Wembley appearances with the latter, winning against Derby in the 1993/94 season. Then it was back to Bradford and Wembley success in 1995/96, as I helped get my hometown Club, the Club I supported as a boy, into the Championship.
LIZZIE SAUNDERSON-TROWELL,
COO
I've held pretty much every role at Foundation HQ, but in short:
I started in summer 2014, working seasonally, and started full-time in September 2015, as an NCS Administrator, staying in that role until the following April, when I was promoted to NCS Assistant Manager. In January 2018 I became NCS Manager, and in June 2020 became Head of NCS and Safeguarding, then Head of Compliance Safeguarding and Performance *deep breath* in October 2021, finally in September 2022 I became Director of Operations and Deputy CEO, and have no stepped into my current position as COO - so effectively everything and anything!
Early in my career I was dead set on being a Crime Scene Analyst, due in equal part to my passion for forensics and endless quest for justice.
I have an MsC in Investigative Psychology, was a cheerleader in my youth, and have completed Route 66.
We recently profiled Lizzie for International Women's Day.
Watch her interview here.
Connect with Lizzie:
SPORT
CRAIG FARRAND,
DIRECTOR OF SPORT
I joined the Foundation 23 years ago, having left college and started on an apprenticeship. After two years I came onboard as a coach, and since then have done pretty much anything and everything I've needed to, from polishing footballs to pitching in on the renovations at Foundation HQ to donning the Billy Bantam suit!
After progressing through the organisation and establishing myself as a Community Coach, I became Director of Sport a couple of years ago.
My work encompasses all of the sporting provisions the Foundation delivers. Whether that be our seasonal football camps throughout each calendar year, sporting engagement and interventions in the many schools we work in throughout the city, and overseeing the sporting schedules for our Football and Education students, including our now annual day playing matches on the iconic Valley Parade pitch!
Have a look at our Day on the Pitch 2025 here:
Outside of my work, I'm a dedicated family man - I still find time to have the odd kickabout with mates, however, and have no intention of retiring from the beautiful game just yet!
PEER ACTION COLLECTIVE
PAVAN SEMBI,
HEAD OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INCLUSION
I was fortunate to come and join the Foundation team from August 2021.
My lead role has been to manage our Peer Action Collective (PAC) project, the £5.2 million nationwide project powered by the Youth Endowment Fund, #iwillfund and Co-Op involves peer research taking place all over England and Wales through a network of local partners.
In Yorkshire, Bradford City Community Foundation have teamed up with the EFL Trust and worked with six Peers over the last 18 months who have lived experience of violence, crime and anti-social behaviour.
I studied fashion at university, and and while I still dress to impress, my time and energy now goes on supporting the young people we work with. Leading the PAC project, forming relationships with the young people of Bradford, and enabling them to deliver social action projects devised by young people, for young people, makes my job incredibly fulfilling.
I hate taking credit, but I've been told I must mention my recent nomination for Inspirational Individual of the Year at the Yorkshire Choice Awards! It was fantastic to be recognised alongside the best of the best of our county.
We recently profiled Pav for International Women's Day.
Watch her interview here.
OLIVER READ,
HEAD OF PREMIER LEAGUE
AND SPORT DEVELOPMENT
Arriving at the Foundation in August 2022, my role involves managing our Premier League Primary Stars and Premier League Kicks projects alongside raising the profile of the charity and developing relationships with schools and wider partners.
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I love my role as our Premier League programmes allow us to support the most deprived communities in our city and provide them with the inspiration and skills necessary for them to succeed in life. Our team of coaches and youth workers are able to engage young people from 5 through to 18, providing a positive role model and an element of consistency in young people's lives. We are acutely aware of the issues many families and young people face across Bradford; and through our delivery we hope to do everything we can to change lives for the better. It is a passion of mine for every individual we interact with to have positive, lifelong memories of physical activity which will result in them leading healthier, more active lives and this role allows me to directly influence exactly how we do that at the foundation.
My previous experience at other Club Community Organisations has allowed me to bring fresh ideas to the foundation and continue to grow the fantastic work that my colleagues are already doing!
We recently donated
Premier League kit for girls' football teams across Bradford, with the help of BCAFC Women's players!
Connect with Oliver:
Watch how it went here:
My role also enables me to connect with sponsors and partners across our region. Bringing new faces onboard to support us and the work we do, whether that be by donating, sponsoring or volunteering their time, is a fantastic part of my job.
At the Foundation, I get to combine my organisational skills with my desire to effect change. From arranging engaging events at our City Hub to ensuring our food facilities run smoothly, my goal is always to help people reach their potential. It's an honour to be part of such meaningful work, and I’m excited to continue finding innovative ways to support and uplift our community.
When I'm not at work, you can find me enjoying a good book, rearranging the house, or spending quality time with family and friends. Here’s to making a difference, one organised event at a time!
We recently profiled Bradleigh for International Women's Day.
Watch her interview here.
COMPLIANCE
BRADLEIGH PIOLI,
HEAD OF COMPLIANCE, SAFEGUARDING AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
I've been a part of the BCAFC family for nine incredible years, making the exciting leap to the Bradford City FC Community Foundation last year.
My journey has always been driven by a passion for helping others, and now, in my current role, I get to do what I do best – and have a lot of fun along the way!
Whether it’s organising events, collecting boxes, care packages, donations (and plenty of other random things!), or running food facilities, I thrive on creating and generating order and efficiency. More importantly, I love making a difference in our community. There's nothing more rewarding than seeing the positive impact of our initiatives and knowing that my efforts help make people's lives just a little bit easier.
Connect with Bradleigh:
EDUCATION
ADAM THIRSK,
OUTDOOR LEARNING AND ADVENTURE LEAD
I have been with the Club on and off since I left school at 16 over 20 years ago.
The Foundation has grown in every aspect during my time, from a small group of coaches running after-school sessions to a team of over 30 staff delivering youth work, sport and high-impacting interventions across the city.
My role is to oversee and deliver on our larger community impact programmes and national contracts. The Foundation works with over 1000 young people per week using the power of football to reduce all the challenges the city currently faces.
Away from the Club and football generally, my main interest is to travel.
Any opportunity between life and work commitments will often see me jetting off to some random corner of the Earth. I am currently circumnavigating the world in stages which has seen us travel as far as Dubai across land and sea (meaning no flights!).
I am passionate about youth travel and giving young people the opportunity to see and experience new cultures and ways of life.
If we want to empower and change the mindset of some young people, we have to show them what is outside the city and what they can aspire to.
"My son loves everything about these camps and really looks forward to going. He's attended a couple of locations and despite not knowing anybody at one of the locations he soon makes friends and the staff all remember him and make him feel welcome!"
ROBBIE
Google Reviews
Connect with Adam: