Oxfordshire FA is excited to announce an enhanced strategic partnership with Active Oxfordshire, which will see both organisations come together to support the health and wellbeing of communities across the county.

2024 is a year of great significance for Oxfordshire FA. Not only do we mark the 140th anniversary of the establishment of Oxfordshire FA, we will shortly be releasing our new four-year strategy, outlining our plans to support, grow and develop inclusive football for all.

Active Oxfordshire, through our strategic partnership, will play a key role in the delivery of our new four-year plan, which leads to 2028 and the arrival in England of the European Championships.

Together, we will work to increase football participation; utilising the power of football to engage with newcomers to the sport, something that, in turn, links to Active Oxfordshire’s own aims and objectives of getting people active locally.

Meanwhile, Oxfordshire FA will promote and raise awareness of the excellent work that Active Oxfordshire does across the county, highlighting the support and services on offer through Active Oxfordshire to our grassroots football community.

A key aim of this partnership is to see football and Active Oxfordshire embed best practice around safe and inclusive cultures, ensuring that football takes a lead in this vitally important area. Both Oxfordshire FA and Active Oxfordshire have a shared passion for working to eradicate discrimination in all forms, and will once again share best practice to support this campaign, as we work as allies to achieve our ambition of creating safe, inclusive football for all.

Josh Lenthall, Chief Executive Officer of Active Oxfordshire, said: “We believe that football is uniquely placed, given the reach that it has and how it can often be a common language amongst people. Working together in partnership with Oxfordshire FA is a logical step and will enable us to more fully unlock the power of football, to embed inclusive practise across the county and to tackle health inequalities.”

Jonathan Duckworth, Chief Executive Officer of Oxfordshire FA, added: “A closer partnership with Active Oxfordshire is key to our new four-year Strategic Plan being published this summer. We both share the same goals. We are therefore delighted to have entered into this enhanced new agreement with Active Oxfordshire, as we work together in an integrated way to help drive continually-improving inclusion, participation, active lifestyles, health and wellbeing through football across the county for the lasting benefit of local communities.”  

You can learn more about Active Oxfordshire by visiting www.activeoxfordshire.org