MK Dons SET rebrand to Milton Keynes Dons Community Trust and appoint Paul Mitchell as CEO

MK Dons SET, the official charity of Milton Keynes Dons Football Club, have begun a new era with a fresh brand and a new name!

The charity will now be known as Milton Keynes Dons Community Trust, in a bid to refresh the charity's branding and clarify its mission.

Milton Keynes Dons Community Trust will also have fresh leadership with the newly appointed CEO, Paul Mitchell, who joins from QPR in the Community Trust.

Mitchell worked for the Hoops' community trust in various senior roles over an eight-year tenure, and before that, spent three years at Crystal Palace’s Official Charity, the Palace for Life Foundation.

Paul prides himself on developing meaningful community projects, supporting young people, and helping those who work in the community advance their skills and realise their potential.

At Milton Keynes Dons Community Trust, Paul will be tasked with overseeing all aspects of the charity’s operation and delivery across the Trust's programmes and courses, building a tangible link between the football club and the city, and developing exciting opportunities for the wider community in Milton Keynes.

Paul Mitchell joins the newly appointed Chair, Paul Clark, as part of the Trust's senior leadership team, with Hannah Bladen continuing as Head of Operations.

As part of the Trust's renewed identity, social media and marketing activities will see a marked improvement, with the appointment of expert PR agency Fortitude to manage digital content and media relations while working closely with the charity to enhance awareness and engagement with key stakeholders.

Since arriving at the Milton Keynes Dons Football Club last year, the ownership group, Board of Directors, and Chairman Fahad Al Ghanim have made serving the community one of their number one priorities.

This rebrand and appointment are the first steps in what promises to be an exciting era for Milton Keynes Dons Community Trust, Milton Keynes Dons Football Club and the City of Milton Keynes as a whole. It is the belief of both the Trust and the Football Club that we can all make a significant difference and improve what everyone associated with MK Dons can offer Milton Keynes.

On MK Dons and MK Dons Community Trust's place in the community, Chairman Fahad Al Ghanim said:

"Since arriving at the Club, the Board of Directors and I have been very keen to support efforts in the community and make a difference to people living in Milton Keynes. MK Dons SET have done fantastic work in our city for years now, we wanted to supercharge that work and believe that this rebrand, as well as the appointment of Paul Mitchell as CEO, gives us a fantastic chance to do that.

"With an emphasis on providing opportunities in the community, making sport as accessible as possible, and building the connection between the club and the city, I'm extremely excited about this new era for the MK Dons Community Trust."

On the rebrand of MK Dons SET to MK Dons Community Trust, MK Dons CEO Neil Hart said:

"As the club and city evolve, and with the backing of our fantastic ownership group, now felt like the perfect time to modernise the charity's brand and operations and give it every chance of progressing to the next level!

"We firmly believe this rebrand will give the charity a fresh opportunity to make a real impact in the city, and in Paul Mitchell as CEO, we have an experienced leader who will look to galvanise the Trust's operations and make a real difference in Milton Keynes.

On the appointment of Paul Mitchell as CEO, MK Dons Community Trust Chair Paul Clark said:

"I've been so impressed with the drive and ambition of everyone at Stadium MK since agreeing to chair MK Dons Community Trust. There's a real opportunity here to do something great in Milton Keynes, and I'm so excited Paul has agreed to lead us on this journey. His experience at QPR is brilliant, and will give him a great foundation to work from as he adapts to this fantastic city!

"Milton Keynes is a vibrant and exciting place, and there is so much good work to be done here. Paul will be pivotal in that as we look to craft a meaningful connection between the Community Trust and the city.

On joining MK Dons Community Trust, CEO Paul Mitchell said:

"Firstly, I'd like to thank Fahad, Neil and Paul, as well as everyone at Stadium MK, for placing their trust in me with this wonderful opportunity.

"Milton Keynes Dons Community Trust has a unique opportunity in front of it to make a meaningful impact in the city of Milton Keynes, which is a city I'm looking forward to learning all about!

"My experience working at football clubs and in the community will hopefully serve me well as we look to build on the solid foundations already in place and refresh our output to be the best Community Trust possible.

"I'm so excited to get started, Come on You Dons!"