Bartley Reds Football Club
Charity 1172746
Overview
Summary
Bartley Reds Football Club appears to be a community-access organisation using grassroots football and access to playing facilities as its main route to participation, belonging and healthy recreation. Its role extends beyond running teams: it frames football as open to differing ages and abilities, keeps affordability central through fundraising, and operates across junior, girls’ and adult provision. The available evidence suggests a locally rooted club with formal safeguarding and equality infrastructure, although its current scale, reach and outcomes are not clear.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Northfield
Confidence: high
Direct evidence identifies Merritt's Brook as the club's booking venue, and a 2026 trials notice places Bartley Reds activity in Northfield. Birmingham City Council's playing-pitch assessment also identifies Merritts Brook in its Northfield analysis area as used by Bartley Reds FC.
- Bartley Reds Football Club website
The club website directs users to make bookings for its 'Merritt's Brook Venue' and reports the club's participation in Community Games at Victoria Common, Northfield. - Birmingham City Council, Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sport Assessment Report
The report lists Merrits Brook in the Northfield analysis area and records it as used by Bartley Reds FC. - Junior Grassroots Hub, Bartley Reds FC Under-12s trials notice, published 29 June 2026
The notice advertises Bartley Reds trials in Northfield.
Bartley Green
Confidence: medium
A currently listed Bartley Reds youth team gives Birmingham Newman University as its home pitch; the university is in Bartley Green. The charity's latest trustees' report also says its services aim to improve the health of people living in and around Bartley Green. This supports active local reach, but the available evidence does not establish whether the university is used by multiple teams or only this team.
- Central Warwickshire Youth Football League / TeamStats, Bartley Reds U14 North listing
The current team listing identifies Birmingham Newman University as the Bartley Reds U14 North home pitch. - Birmingham Newman University website
The university gives its location as Bartley Green, Birmingham. - Bartley Reds Football Club trustees' report and accounts, year ended 30 June 2025
The report states that the charity provides services aimed at improving the health of people living in and around Bartley Green and surrounding areas.
Remaining uncertainties
- The evidence does not show a complete current list of every training and match venue used by each Bartley Reds team.
- It is uncertain whether Birmingham Newman University remains a regular club-wide venue or is principally the home pitch of the listed U14 North team.
- The Solihull registered address is a principal office/correspondence address and should not be treated as an operational site in Birmingham.
- The Charity Commission records Birmingham City as the charity's area of operation, but this is broader than the site-level evidence and does not by itself demonstrate citywide delivery.
Additional evidence needed
- A current season club fixture, training or venue schedule showing every home ground and training location by team.
- Confirmation from Bartley Reds FC of the venues it presently hires or uses, including whether Newman University is a continuing arrangement.
- Current agreements or booking records for Merritt's Brook and Birmingham Newman University, if available.
Areas of work
- Amateur Sport
Who they help
- Children/young People
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Football is the delivery mechanism for a wider inclusion mission
The club appears to use football not simply as a sporting offer, but as a practical means of making healthy recreation and community participation accessible.
Why it matters
This helps distinguish the club from a purely competitive team structure. Its civic value may lie in creating regular, local routes into activity and social connection.
Show evidence
“The promotion of community participation in healthy recreation in particular by the provision of facilities for the playing of football.”
Source:Charity Commission“Grassroots, community based Football Club, welcoming everyone to play the sport we love.”
Source:Organisation
Affordability appears to be part of its operating strategy
Fundraising may be used to subsidise participation rather than merely enhance the club, suggesting that cost is recognised as a potential barrier for local families.
Why it matters
This indicates a possible role in reducing exclusion from organised sport, and makes funding relationships especially relevant to understanding the club’s resilience.
Show evidence
“Fundraising is vital for the club to enable us to keep subs as low as possible.”
Source:Organisation“Ensuring our ethos of being open and accessible by all families in our community.”
Source:Organisation
The club spans life stages and may create continuity within the local football pathway
Provision from under-7s through youth, girls’ and adult teams suggests the club may retain participants and families over time rather than serving a single age group.
Why it matters
A multi-age structure can make the organisation a durable local connector: participants, parents, volunteers and former players may overlap across teams and years.
Show evidence
“Football for everyone regardless of age and ability.”
Source:Organisation“16 junior boys, 2 junior girls and 3 open age adult men teams for 2017-2018.”
Source:Organisation
- Whether girls’ and women’s provision has expanded, reduced or remained stable since 2017-2018.
- How many people participate, which local communities are reached, and whether any groups remain underrepresented.
- Whether Merritt's Brook is owned, leased or simply booked by the club, and how facility access shapes its capacity.
Remaining uncertainties
- Current team, membership, fee and waiting-list data broken down by age group and gender.
- Information on facility tenure, volunteer capacity, local partnerships and participation support for lower-income families.
- Recent annual reports, accounts or impact evidence showing outcomes beyond team participation.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Grassroots, community based Football Club, welcoming everyone to play the sport we love
Charity objects
THE PROMOTION OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN HEALTHY RECREATION IN PARTICULAR BY THE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR THE PLAYING OF FOOTBALL.