Best Football Community Scheme – Premier League 2018

Albion in the Community (Brighton & Hove Albion FC)

Albion in the Community (AITC) has been delivering often life-changing projects throughout Sussex for almost three decades. In the last 12 months alone the charity has worked with more than 40,000 people; the youngest aged just five-years-old and starting out in life, the oldest well into their 80s. Every single member of the charity’s local community is offered the chance to benefit from its work.
AITC works across almost 70 miles of the south coast, supporting some of the most-deprived communities in the country, doing all it can to ensure that everyone in Sussex is in a position to reach their full potential.
The charity works with more than 120 schools each year, runs more than 30 regular football sessions for people with a disability, and engages thousands of people in potentially life-saving health campaigns. It has helped hundreds of people stay active during and after cancer treatment, provided free football to more than 2,000 young people living in areas of deprivation, and helped hundreds of people improve their job prospects by supporting them through national-accredited qualifications.
It is a charity that is led by local need and determined to create opportunities, build futures and ultimately, to change lives.

Everton in the Community

Everton in the Community is one of the UK’s top sporting charity’s and 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 40+ social programmes.

Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Everton in the Community (EitC) has been at the forefront of social intervention across Merseyside since 1988; tackling social issues prevalent across the city and addressing them head on.

With over 140 dedicated full-time staff and a passionate army of over 100 volunteers, the charity’s programmes cover 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, EitC supports the most vulnerable and underprivileged members of local communities.

Newcastle United Foundation

Newcastle United Foundation was established to harness football’s power to deliver positive change in our area Since 2008 the commitment, dedication and enthusiasm of our staff and stakeholders has seen the Foundation become a pillar of the community, working with over 50,000 disadvantaged young people and families across Newcastle, Gateshead, Northumberland and North Tyneside

We work in some of the most deprived areas in the North East and our key objective is to use football as a means of engaging people in projects and activities that can help raise their aspirations and support positive change in their lives. We need to raise around £2 million each year to do this.

We’re proud that 92p of every £1 that is raised by the Foundation is reinvested in charitable activity The importance of nurturing the relationships we establish with stakeholders is vital to our success.

In 2018 the Foundation is 10 year’s old, having raised over £13 million to support programme delivery and engagement in our region. We have also have planning permission approved for a purpose built community, education and health and wellbeing hub to be constructed in the heart of the city which will help us reach even move people.

Saints Foundation, Charity of Southampton FC

“Southampton FC and Saints Foundation have given me the inspiration and emotional support to completely change my outlook on life I’ve begun to believe in myself again, and I’ve been inspired to always do my best ” – Saints4Sport Participant

Saints Foundation utilises the power of football and the influence of the Club’s brand and values to inspire individuals of all abilities, aged 2 to 102, throughout their journey to fulfilling their potential.

Saints Foundation maintains an effective relationship with key stakeholders, local charities and Southampton City Council to establish the areas of the local community that are most in need. This enables the charity to continue offering consistent, impactful and targeted support to local people at any stage of life, last year delivering over 30,000 hours of project work.

Understanding the impact on each individual’s life shapes the work of Saints Foundation Regular surveys are taken to establish this impact and inform future developments. The charity has achieved great results, including: student’s school satisfaction increasing 50% due to the presence of Saints Foundation’s Community Champions, 95% of Saints4Sport participants not re-offending since taking part in the programme and 86% of Generation Gains participants, aged 65+, making a new friend.

Watford FC’s Community Sports and Education Trust

Watford Football Club’s Community Sports and Education Trust celebrated their 25th Year Anniversary throughout the 2017/18 season with a largely volunteer led project.

Watford FC’s CSE Trust’s project was supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and aimed to commemorate a history of Watford FC in the heart of the community whilst generating a new found interest and understanding of their community work. The project driven by the volunteers explored years of positive memories, stories and impact.

The project saw a plethora of activities and events targeted at a variety of audiences within their community. These events included a gala dinner, interactive website, museum exhibition, charity match, dedicated Watford FC Premier League fixture and commemorative book entitled The Trust At 25: Improving Lives, The Story So Far…

To find out more about their anniversary visit www.watfordfccsetrust.com/anniversary or to keep up to date with Watford FC’s CSE Trust just search @WFCTrust on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

West Ham United Foundation

For over 27 years, West Ham United have worked at the heart of their community delivering life changing opportunities. As part of the club’s commitment to the community, their award-winning Foundation has been delivering key services and programmes in east London and Essex since 1990. Working in some of the most deprived areas not just of London but across the whole of England, the task is not an easy one. With Newham possessing 5% unemployment, 8% prevalence of type-2 diabetes and communities rife with social loneliness, the challenges are clear. The West Ham United Foundation, however, is tackling those head on.