Lancaster Bombers American Football Helmet Fund

Hello! We are the Lancaster Bombers American Football team of Lancaster University. We are fundraising to purchase helmets, which are an essential piece of equipment for every player. Given the safety implications of using damaged or outdated helmets, this fundraiser is of great importance. We aim to raise a minimum of £1000 to help facilitate the purchase of 14 helmets in early 2025.

Helmets are an essential piece of equipment required for each player. They are a major source of protection, enabling us to play to the best of our abilities. Furthermore, all American Football officiating bodies, including BAFRA (British American Football Referees Association), BAFCA (British American Football Coaches Association) and BUCS (British Universities and College Sport), require all players to wear helmets, and they must be in-date and in good condition.

We care deeply about the safety of our players. Helmets are a primary protection against concussions, which can have the following long-term side effects:

Our squad size is currently capped at 57, which means that the clubs require 57 in date and valid helmets. A lack of helmets would lead to a reduction in squad size, which in turn would limit our team's effectiveness and have a monumental impact on morale. We have seen that other universities' American Football teams have sometimes struggled with limited squads, and some teams have even had to relinquish their position in the league if squad sizes reached too low. The purchase of helmets would directly prevent this from occurring to the Lancaster Bombers.

A helmet has a 'shelf life' of 10 years, meaning that after 10 years, a helmet is not safe for us and must be replaced. All helmets acquired through this fundraising process will, therefore, last for 10 years.

We are currently facing a significant number of helmets expiring over the next 10 months. This would have a destructive impact on our club. We therefore kindly ask that you consider donating to our helmet fundraiser. This will enable us to purchase approximately 14 helmets, which would allow the club to continue to flourish and enhance the safety of our players.

Thank you for your consideration,

The Lancaster Bombers