Luton Town Community Trust and club staff have today been able to access the burned out buildings at Ely Way for the first time since fire gutted the Trust’s headquarters on Monday night.
Club photographer Gareth Owen has been up to the Leagrave complex this lunchtime to take these pictures of the damage, while head of trust Kevin Thoburn was interviewed by BBC Look East's Kate Bradbrook for their evening news programme which will air at 6.30pm today.
Buildings at @LutonTown charity the Luton Town Community trust gutted by fire. They say they will re-build & activities for disadvantaged youngsters/those with disabilities will be back on soon @BBCLookEast #luton #fire #lutontowncommunitytrust pic.twitter.com/aReeDpABc7
— Kate Bradbrook (@katebradbrook) September 12, 2019
With no electricity, internet, running water or toilet facilities currently available, Kevin and his staff are working from home, cafes, other club sites and even their cars to organise coaches and alternative facilities to ensure as many of the club charity’s activities as possible can continue.
Inevitably some have been cancelled, including the academy’s fixtures this weekend with the Under-18s’ EFL Youth Alliance South East Division game against AFC Wimbledon switched to Kings College Sports Ground in New Malden with a 10.30am kick-off.
It is hoped, however, that as many of the Trust’s groups as possible can still meet and sessions can run to keep a sense of normality for the many disadvantaged and minority members of the community who rely on the club charity’s work.
“When I arrived on Tuesday morning to see the police here, I was devastated,” said Kevin. “It was a shocking scene. They have been carrying out their investigations for a couple of days and these will obviously continue to determine the cause.
“Luton folk are a hardy bunch, however, and with the support of the football club and the many local businesses and community members who have been in touch, we will continue to do our best to provide as many engagements as we can for local people of all ages.”
Please keep an eye on the Community Trust’s website and Twitter feed for up-to-date information on any activities that have, and may be, affected.
*For an example of the kind of work that goes on at Ely Way for the Community Trust, click on the link below to see what happened at the EFL Day of Action earlier this year...
https://www.lutontown.co.uk/news/2019/march/efl-day-of-action-gallery/