The Plough Lane Bond is being extended and fans are encouraged to continue signing up to help Bring The Dons Home.
Organisers have reacted to fan demand to keep the scheme open to continue to improve the Trust and club’s overall financial planning for the new stadium. And this relaunch has been marked by the release of a new video, which explains what a return to Plough Lane will mean.
It has been confirmed that the Bond, which is offered and administered by the Dons Trust, will remain open until the 14th May 2020, which also allows fans to make a further investment in the new tax year. Even so, fans and investors are urged to continue keep the total growing in the short term. The sooner funds are committed the stronger the club’s position.
The money raised has reduced the target for commercial loan funding to below £6m - a level at which further options have become available for the club. While these are being pursued, every increase in the Bond total makes a better deal more likely.
Bond spokesman Xavier Wiggins commented: “The response has been fantastic so far. I’m an optimistic man, but we reached our initial five million target even quicker than I hoped we would. We would also like to pay tribute to the phenomenal work of so many volunteers assisting in leafleting, administration, marketing and generally spreading the good news about our return home to the local community.”
Fellow supporter Charlie Talbot added: “Passing one key milestone is great and shows just what the community spirit of this fanbase can achieve working with the club and the Trust. But we can’t let up. We need to keep pushing on and aim at a new target. The more the Bond raises the more we change the game and control our own destiny both for funding the stadium construction, and improving our playing and operational budgets when we go home. Let’s aim for £7.5 million now and see how quickly we can get there.”
Chief executive Joe Palmer said: “I’m delighted by the success of the Bond so far and keeping it running was one of the easiest decisions I’ve been a part of since I’ve been here. Further discussions on the loan deal are ongoing and I’m grateful for the additional assistance of the Bond team around that. I’d like to add my words of thanks to everyone involved in running and operating the Bond scheme from the volunteers and the Trust. Please everyone keep supporting this great initiative.”
The Bond has also seen a significant investment from the We Are Wimbledon Fund, which has aggregated smaller amounts from fans into a 5-year and 10-year bond purchase for £33,000 in total.
Damian Woodward, who has been running the We Are Wimbledon Fund as well as working on the Bond, concluded: “The We Are Wimbledon fund outstripped its initial targets and we have made our first investments this month as a result. Massive thanks to everyone involved. We will keep the WAWF options open for as long as the Bond scheme is live, but again the sooner the people invest the better it is.”
The Plough Lane Bond deadline will be just after the end of this season on a date all Dons fans will remember - the 14th May. Investment terms remain the same at a minimum investment of £1000 over 5, 10 or 20 years with a chosen interest rate between 0 and 4 per cent. Capital at risk, terms and conditions on the bond website.