The recent Birmingham City home match also saw CAS Trust celebrating Asset of Community Value (ACV) status for the Valley

The status was granted on November 29th 2013, after 1,905 Addicks completed a petition overwhelmingly supporting the application. The decision from Royal Borough of Greenwich would mean that Charlton would become the first professional club in London to have the status for its ground.

ACV status means that if the Valley were put up for sale the community group concerned in this case Charlton fans via CAS Trust - would be informed and given 6 months to bid on the freehold. You can also read more on ACV and our campaign here.

CAS Trust also accepted an unexpected invitation from CAFC and incoming non-exec Chairman Richard Murray to open up the club's top level hospitality so that fans and other supporters of the ACV campaign could be entertained by the CAS Trust Board.

The day began with an early visit to the Trust's stall outside the North Stand, and a photo call at the Trust stall, now a regular feature since the start of the season, where a large number of signatures were collected for the petition supporting the campaign.

The Trust Board, Volunteers and Members were joined by FA Chairman Greg Dyke, Eltham MP and Shadow Minister for Sport Clive Efford, Richard Murray, and later on by MP Nick Raynsford as well as Head of Supporters' Direct England Daniel Rose, and SD Communications & Campaigns Manager Kevin Rye.

(Photo - Left to Right: Richard Hicks, David Pearce, Barnie Razzell, Richard Murray, Kevin Messere, Greg Dyke, Math Morrisson , Clive Efford, Craig Sloman, Pam King, John Commerford, Nigel Paimment, Jean Huelin, Rachel King, Iain Wallis, and Ken Sinyard.)

Members of the Trust were then interviewed by BBC radio London, followed by a pitch-side presentation before the match, which was rained off by a very heavy shower.

Not to be put off, Steve Bradshaw Charlton Chief Operating Officer arranged the presentation for half time instead, where Richard Murray presented a commemorative document marking the occasion to the Board members and volunteers present including Trust Secretary Richard Wiseman to the right of Nick Raynsford MP for Greenwich (far right) and Jonathan Bangs (red cycling top and hat/goggles) Trust Board and Valley Party candidate. Two copies of the document were signed later with one being presented to CAFC Chief Commercial Officer Ben Kensell for safe keeping and hopefully display somewhere, and the other kept by the Supporters' Trust.

 During a brief few words on the Pitch, CAS Trust Chairman Barnie Razzell said:

"ACV may be a small step to some, but it is symbolic because it recognises the role local people have in their communities; and the stake football fans have in the future of their grounds and clubs."

He later added

"It was a huge thing for us to be able to celebrate this properly, hand in hand with Charlton and to be able to thank some of those who supported the application, including CAFC.

Of course the people we want to thank most are the fans that completed the petition and who supported us generally.

CAS Trust is one of the most active Trusts in the Championship and above, now boasting 1,000 full members. This is a testament to Charlton fans, and a lot of hard work and innovation from our volunteers.

 

I hope we have been able through this to make a positive contribution for Charlton fans, and demonstrate what a supporter's trust can do, or indeed any group of local

people to register a positive interest in future of the assets of their own community."

We would particularly like to thank FA Chairman Greg Dyke for his interest and taking the time to come and join the celebration given how busy his diary is."