This week, we welcomed supporter representatives to Emirates Stadium for our End of Season Supporter Forum. The inaugural event brought us together to reflect on the progress we’ve made during a memorable season and our continued drive to win major trophies.
The evening marked the culmination of a transformational year in supporter engagement in which we evolved our long-standing Fans’ Forum into four theme-specific forums, enabling more detailed discussion – and ultimately more action – on matters important to our supporters.
The revitalisation of our supporter engagement structure has also led to:
* A 92% increase in the number of supporters engaged
* A 283% increase in the number of women and ethnic minority supporters engaged
* A 75% increase in the number of formal supporter meetings
* A 50% increase in the number of meetings attended by our Managing Director or a Board Member
Hosted by Arsenal supporter and broadcaster Roman Kemp, the End of Season Forum brought together members of our:
* Arsenal Advisory Board
* Arsenal Women’s Matchday Forum
* Matchday Experience Forum
* EDI & Sustainability Forum
* Ticketing Forum
The forum was also attended by our Executive Vice-Chair Tim Lewis and a number of club staff including members of our Executive Team to encourage further engagement and discussion at the event beyond the formal Q&A sessions.
Forum
**Strengthening supporter engagement**
The evening opened with a Q&A with our Managing Director, Richard Garlick, who addressed a wide range of questions from our supporters.
During the session, Richard discussed:
* Highlights from last season, led by our historic UEFA Women’s Champions League win
* Our ambition to win major trophies in a financially sustainable way
* Our approach to the transfer market
* How we’re growing revenue to invest in our teams
* Our commitment to improving ticket accessibility
* Our shared desire to enhance the Emirates Stadium atmosphere
**Celebrating Arsenal in the Community at 40**
The evening provided a perfect moment to celebrate 40 years of Arsenal in the Community together.
Head of Arsenal in the Community, Freddie Hudson MBE, along with our community coaches Tessa McFadden and Dillon White reflected on the power Arsenal has to drive pride, inspiration and belonging among our local and global community.
They spoke passionately about the impact we bring, discussing:
* The work of Arsenal in the Community over the past 40 years and our commitment to keep driving forward
* The power Arsenal has to reach people in a unique way to drive a sense of belonging
* How our community coaches use personal experiences and challenges to engage with our communities as mentors and role models
* The origins of Arsenal Women as an Arsenal in the Community programme back in 1987
* Why our work over the next 10 years is even more important than the last 40 to ensure we keep pace with the evolving challenges faced by our communities today
During the session, Freddie Hudson said: "_Like many inner-city boroughs, we face deep-rooted challenges – from social inequality, unemployment, and youth crime to mental health issues. These issues continue to evolve, but since launching our programmes in 1985, our work has always been centred on trust._
_“We’re uniquely positioned to connect with our communities. What began with just a handful of dedicated staff has grown into a team of nearly 100 – including teachers, employment officers, health professionals, youth workers, and mentors. It’s an exceptional group, backed from the start by a club that believed in our mission simply because it was the right thing to do.”_
**Always** _**Forward**_
We’re looking forward to publishing our supporter engagement plan as part of the Premier League’s Fan Engagement Standard before the start of another exciting season.
We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank all our Supporter Groups and their representatives who contribute to our Advisory Board and Supporter Forums, and everyone who is on this journey with us.
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