Events & Entertainment, Ferndown | Posted on June 5th, 2026 | return to news

Ferndown club facing financial crisis over energy bills

Bluebird Social Club risks closure unless it can raise £14,000 within the next few weeks.

A popular jazz club and community centre in Ferndown and Longham is at risk of closure unless it can come up with a huge sum of money to settle an energy bill.

Bluebird Social Club has been standing at its current location for over 50 years. It is the former home of a local football team, but in more recent years it has become a thriving community hub with arts, skittles, cribbage, bingo and quiz nights, as well as a varied music programme. It also supports several local organisations, including High Mead Farm and a local church.

However, over recent years it has accumulated a massive debt of £24,000 to British Gas. The energy giant is now demanding a payment of £14,000; otherwise, it will disconnect the club’s power supply.

Bluebirds is a non-profit organisation run by a team of four volunteers. One of the volunteers, Julie, said the club had acquired a lot of debt dating back to before the Covid pandemic.

She said: “When I took over there were lots of debts. We had a struggle because the previous treasurer had a massive stroke and we could not get access to his computer, so I had to start from scratch to try to find out what companies we were with.

“When Covid hit, the prices jumped up unbelievably with British Gas. The bills went up fourfold. We had to pay our rent and everything else, and it just went on.”

After speaking to British Gas multiple times and trying to contact the energy ombudsman, the energy supplier agreed that if the club could come up with some of the money owed, it would give them time to pay off the rest.

Julie said: “It is very short notice, but it is a lifeline. We have had a lot of response from our members who had turned up at the extraordinary meeting.”

Another volunteer, Liam Brown, has been a member of Bluebirds since he was 18 and has been on the committee for three years. He expressed his frustration over the situation.

“It’s upsetting. £14,000 to British Gas is change in their pockets,” he said. “People don’t know how much we do for the community. We host numerous charitable events. We do all sorts. If we go, all of that disappears.”

Bluebirds is asking members of the community to reach into their pockets to help keep the club alive. The volunteers have set up a JustGiving page where people can make donations.

To support Bluebirds, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/savebluebirds.