Dorset based sports clubs, which have missed out on vital revenue due to lockdown restrictions, have been given a lifeline by food delivery company Simply Takeout.

Sports teams are usually heavily reliant on income from using their clubhouses to host events, sponsorship from local businesses, or spectators spending money on food and drink at the grounds. With COVID-19 impacting many of these revenue streams, clubs are feeling the strain this year.

Charities, clubs, and community groups have the opportunity to earn extra cash through Simply Takeout’s website and app. Each time an organisation converts a referral through their unique link, they will receive 10 per cent of someone’s first order, and 2.5 per cent of all subsequent orders. For example, if an affiliate organisation gets 500 people to register, and these people placed an average first order of £25, they would earn £1,250. And if these same 500 people ordered once per month over the year then the organisation would earn an additional £3,750 per year.

Ricky Barton, manager of Bournemouth Ladies Football Club, comments, “It’s been a tough year for everyone in the club sport industry, we rely on our sponsors and self-funding from the team to keep afloat. Our normal fundraisers are not possible at present, and sponsorship is harder to come by in the traditional sense, so we knew we needed to get creative when discussing how to keep us going through these times. We are very thankful that Simply Takeout has been able to provide us with a fantastic solution to this.”

Jane Hart, chairman of Oakmeadians Rugby Club, can also see the benefit in the food delivery’s affiliate scheme, saying, “Our club has been hit hard due to the pandemic. We relied on revenue through rugby being played in the park, popular events such as Proms in the Park and various functions held at the club house. We adapted our approach to spectators attending games when restrictions were lifted throughout the summer with social distancing measures in place. This enabled us to reopen our clubhouse and play some adapted rugby, but the latest lockdown was a real setback for us. That’s why we’re thrilled to be collaborating with Simply Takeout through their affiliate scheme, which will a big help as we look forward to a more prosperous 2021.”