Future Publishing Founder, Chris Anderson, has reached out from across the Atlantic to support the Big Bath City Bid campaign to turn the city’s football team into a community-owned club.
Although Chris moved to the United States over twenty years ago, the famous technology entrepreneur and millionaire has made a generous donation towards the Bid’s target of raising £750,000 to buy the club, clear its pressing debts and turn it into a community-owned cooperative.
Chris’s donation is the result of a brief meeting with prominent Bath City fan Ken Loach, when Chris was in the country for Future’s 30th Anniversary celebrations.
The two were introduced at the annual Bath Boules tournament, and Ken outlined the bid’s aim to secure the club’s future and turn it into a positive force for good amongst some of the more disadvantaged and isolated members of the Bath community.
Anderson, now curator of global conference group TED, said: “I think it’s great what the Bid team are trying to do for Bath.
“A healthy football club is a vital symbol of a successful city, and if they can combine that with increasing the club’s good work in the community, then all the better.
“Even though I no longer live in Bath, I’m happy to offer my support for old times’ sake.”
Big Bath City Bid spokesperson, Steve Bradley, added: “Chris Anderson is a great example of the talent and entrepreneurial spirit of this city.
“It’s fantastic to receive endorsement for the idea of community-ownership from someone of his calibre.
“We hope it will inspire even more people from Bath’s business community to help make the dream a reality by also buying shares.”