Gilberdyke Phoenix Football Club has received a significant boost thanks to a collaborative social value project delivered by Britcon and Specialist Surfacing through the YOR4Good initiative.
Delivered as part of wider social value commitments linked to the Footway Term Service and Pocklington schemes, the project has transformed the club’s deteriorating car park, providing a safer, more accessible and durable facility for players, volunteers, supporters and visitors.

The improvement works involved extensive site preparation, including the clearance of overgrown vegetation, bush cutting and siding-out activities to establish a safe working environment. Areas affected by potholes and surface deterioration were then excavated and regulated to create a stable foundation.

To ensure a lasting solution, the entire car park was levelled using recycled planings before being fully compacted, creating a consistent and hard-wearing surface capable of supporting year-round use.

The works were carried out by a dedicated team of four operatives supported by specialist plant and equipment, including a paving machine, two bobcats, a JCB excavator, two dumpers, a pickup vehicle, welfare vehicle and two rollers.

Addressing a Critical Need

The improvements were identified as a priority for the volunteer-run community football club. Before the works took place, the condition of the car park had deteriorated significantly, creating hazards for users and limiting access for disabled visitors due to uneven ground conditions.
Without external support, the club would have faced a substantial resurfacing cost. For a grassroots organisation operating on limited resources, funding such a project independently would have reduced the resources available for teams, coaching and community activities.

Although temporary repairs had been carried out in the past, they failed to resolve the underlying issues and offered only short-term improvements.

Delivering Community Benefits

The upgraded facility is expected to benefit hundreds of people throughout its lifespan, including:

• Gilberdyke Phoenix FC players, parents and supporters.
• Visiting teams and their families.
• Current and future volunteers, who will spend less time and money managing site maintenance.

The improvements will help ensure the club remains an important hub for grassroots sport and community engagement while providing a more welcoming experience for all users.

Positive Environmental Outcomes

The project has also delivered a range of environmental benefits in support of the wider sustainability objectives of the YOR4Good programme.

These include:

• Improved flood resilience through enhanced drainage performance.
• Better stormwater management, helping to reduce surface water build-up and runoff impacts.
• Lower carbon emissions through the reduction of frequent repair activities.
• Reduced disruption, plant movements, noise and pollution associated with ongoing maintenance works.
• The reuse of recycled planings, minimising waste and supporting circular economy principles.

Creating a Lasting Legacy

By investing in essential infrastructure, the project has strengthened the long-term resilience of Gilberdyke Phoenix FC. The upgraded car park provides a practical, reliable asset that will support club activities for years to come.

With fewer resources required for upkeep, volunteers can focus on developing the club, supporting players and enhancing the experience of members and visitors. Funds that may otherwise have been spent on ongoing repairs can now be directed towards teams, coaching opportunities and wider community initiatives.

Gilberdyke Phoenix Football Club spokesperson James Sykes said:

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone involved in delivering this project. The transformation of our car park has made a huge difference to the safety, accessibility and overall experience for our players, volunteers and visitors. As a volunteer-led club, we simply would not have been able to undertake works of this scale ourselves. This support not only resolves long-standing issues but also enables us to invest more in our teams and the continued development of the club. It has secured a much stronger future for Gilberdyke Phoenix Football Club and the community we serve.”

This successful partnership between Britcon, Specialist Surfacing and YOR4Good demonstrates how social value initiatives can deliver practical, lasting benefits for local communities, helping grassroots organisations such as Gilberdyke Phoenix FC continue to grow and thrive.