Best Football Community Scheme 2017

Albion in the Community (Brighton & Hove Albion FC)

Sport – and in particular football – is fundamental to Albion in the Community’s (AITC) continued success. The charity delivered 60 different projects over the last 12 months, in a range of areas, including health, social inclusion, disability football, education and sport participation. Although the range of projects that AITC manage is is far-reaching, it has one unifying vision: using the power of sport to change people’s lives for the better.

AITC helped 40,000 people across Sussex last year. Around 2500 people aged from five to 84 and living in some of the most-deprived communities in the country benefited from its pioneering social inclusion projects. More than 11,000 pupils at more than 120 schools enjoyed working with AITC in areas including football-themed numeracy and literacy lessons, while 1,900 children at 15 schools took part in a programme encouraging healthier lifestyles.

Burnley FC in the Community

We are Burnley FC in the Community, the official charity of Burnley FC. We use the power of our football club to inspire, support and deliver change to a cross-section of people in the communities surrounding the Turf Moor stadium.

We are a dynamic, innovative and fast-growing organisation. In the space of three short years since our founding, we have expanded to a £2m charity, employing almost 70 members of staff and delivering over 30 community projects across East Lancashire.

During the 16/17 season, a big focus of our work was on the planning, management and execution of our facilities strategy.

Working to a strategy from August 2016, we have opened an education hub at UCFB Burnley to great success, started work on a brand new leisure facility, we are refurbishing and reopening a much-loved local outdoor education centre and we are working on the implementation of a new town-centre Community Kitchen.

Our submission gives the details of the development of our facilities portfolio and the reasons why we are proud of the work that has, and will, be done via these spaces to address the needs of the special people in our communities.

Everton in the Community

Everton in the Community is one of the UK’s top sporting charity’s and is firmly established on the world stage of community sports development. As the official charity of Everton Football Club it is considered one of the Premier League’s leading community schemes due to the quality and reach of its various programmes.
Since 1988 Everton in the Community has been at the forefront of social intervention across Merseyside, tackling issues which are prevalent on the streets of its local communities.

Through its 80 dedicated full-time staff, over 40 casual staff and 250 volunteers, the charity offers 44 programmes covering a range of social issues including health, employability, anti-social behaviour, crime, education, dementia, poverty, youth engagement, youth justice and disability.

Operating 7 days a week, 365 days a year, Everton in the Community supports the most vulnerable and underprivileged members of local communities.

Fulham FC Foundation

Fulham Football Club Foundation is an award winning charity that operates with clarity of purpose: to build better lives through sport. This manifests itself in a multitude of ways, spanning education/training, health/wellbeing, sports participation, social inclusion, and disability sport. As the charitable arm of London’s oldest professional football club, we proudly engaged more than 13,000 unique participants in the 16/17 season. Our staff proudly wear the FFC badge as they deliver more than 25 different programmes in the community. Last season, we engaged beneficiaries for an average contact time of 24 hours 43 minutes.

The 16/17 season was demonstrably successful: we won 5 industry awards – including the EFL ‘Checkatrade Community Club of the year’ Regional Award – and diversified both the number and breadth of programmes and partners. Additionally, we achieved of our objective of increasing tailored, small group support for the hardest to reach, with multiple and complex barriers to participation, including dementia prevention and support programmes, provision for young offenders, and adults with mental health needs.

City in the Community

Since the Club’s inception in 1894, Manchester City has used the power of football to create opportunities, build futures, and touch lives in a unique way.

By placing the game at the heart of its plans, the Club’s Foundation makes a big difference to local employment, crime prevention, social inclusion and the health and well being of fans, friends and neighbours.

The city of Manchester faces many social challenges, particularly around health. 25% of children entering primary school (aged 5 and up) are considered overweight and/or obese, with several factors including lifestyle, diet and activity key contributors to this growing statistic.

Manchester City’s foundation, City in the Community, recognised a need for further awareness and support in this area and identified this as an opportunity to use 30 years of community football expertise to tackle this growing problem and help to give kids and families across Manchester a better shot at life.

Watford Football Club’s Community Sports and Education Trust

As Watford Football Club’s Community Sports and Education Trust celebrates its twenty fifth year anniversary, it can reflect on a proud heritage of improving lives and enhancing communities. Whilst the commitment to the community hasn’t changed, the new and innovative ways the Trust engage, inspire and positively impact individuals has. The latest innovation comes in the form of Meriden Community Centre in North Watford.

In November 2016, the man behind Watford FC’s close affiliation with the community, Graham Taylor OBE joined Mayor of Watford, Dorothy Thornhill, in officially re-opening Meriden Community Centre. After months of consultation and hard work, the Trust could boast a new and improved facility, enabling direct engagement with local people and ensuring a constant presence within the community.

This presence includes the delivery of projects designed to tackle local issues and improve lives, projects such as Premier League Kicks, Active Herts and Building Better Opportunities. As well as a hub for local organisations and individuals alike.

The centre is just the latest development in the Trust’s mission to make a positive difference for all through sport and learning.