Joining the list of long-running sponsors at Banbury United is GEM Tool Hire & Sales. Sales Director, Carl Ashford, is the face of GEM at Banbury United. Alongside his role as a sponsor, he is Football Secretary and co-Manager of the BUFC Development Team, both voluntary roles. Via GEM, he’s also a customer of Banbury United, and Dad to Alfie, who is a student player at the Banbury United Academy at Banbury & Bicester College!

Carl and fellow Team Manager, Ben Hayes, have been involved with the youth side of football since their sons were in the U13 age group. As the boys grew up, so Carl and Ben moved into eventually leading the new for this season open age Development Team. The Development Team plays in the Hellenic League Division 2 - Alliance East where it currently sits in joint second place. Building on last year’s U18s, the team is already generating talent that is training and being selected to play with the First Team. Please check out their fixture dates here - they are often playing at home when the first team is away.

Gem Tool Hire has been proudly serving Banbury and the surrounding area for over 40 years. Based on Beaumont Road, it’s a well-established, independent tool hire business with a strong reputation for reliability, quality equipment, and friendly local service.

GEM offers a comprehensive range of plant, machinery, and tools to suit jobs of every size, from major construction projects to DIY and home improvement work. Large plant hire includes diggers, dumpers, rollers, scissor lifts, and cherry pickers, all maintained to the highest standards to ensure safety and performance on site.

They also supply a wide selection of smaller tools and equipment, including vibrating plates, disc cutters, breakers, pressure washers, and carpet cleaners, making Gem Tool Hire a true one-stop shop for trade professionals and the general public alike.

“Gem Tool Hire has been proud to serve the people of this town since 1979, and we’re delighted to support Banbury United. The Club has fantastic links with the local community and truly sits at the heart of the town. Sponsoring the team is a natural fit for us, and we’re proud to play a small part in its continued success,” says Carl Ashford, Sales Director.

A trustworthy local business we can all get behind. Thank you GEM Tool Hire & Sales Ltd.