Story added: 20th February 2025

EFL CLUBS CELEBRATE THEIR COMMUNITY HEROES

Local heroes from EFL Clubs will be recognised and celebrated for the impact they make in their communities as part of the EFL’s Community Weekends, taking place from Saturday 22 February to Sunday 3 March.

Across the period, Clubs, managers and players will acknowledge the vital work that community staff and volunteers deliver 365 days per year and Community Heroes will be honoured by special visits from players and through matchday activities.

As part of matchday activations, fans will get the chance to hear from participants who have had their lives changed or even saved by their Club’s community work and find out more details about the range of projects available to them and ways they can get involved.

Community Heroes and projects that will be recognised include:

• Volunteer teenage girls – Alex, Isabella, Izzy, Ruby and Scarlett – from Sheffield United, pioneered a programme that supports local young girls to navigate puberty and stay engaged in sporting activities.
• Anthony Row from MK Dons has ADHD and global learning difficulties but with support from the Club has overcome his shyness to become a fluffy mascot that entertains the fans on matchdays and takes part in mascot races.
• Carlisle United’s community hero, Keith Ward, has been volunteering at a dementia support group ‘United in Memories’ and his dedication and enthusiasm has grown this programme to support 50 local residents.
• Bristol City’s Paul Trivett first engaged with the club 6 years and lacked confidence and had a very prominent stammer. Through the Club, Paul has now amassed over 500 hours of volunteering across the last 2 years supporting football sessions and holiday camp provision.
• Programme leader, Asia Asghar, from Nottingham County, has played a pivotal role in driving an inclusive football initiative for women and girls from South Asian backgrounds by creating women’s and girls-only football sessions.

Trevor Birch, CEO of the EFL, said: “Community is a fundamental part of the EFL and its 72 Clubs’ identity. The work undertaken by Clubs has a hugely positive impact on the participants of the various programmes and in the towns and cities where people live.

“Football Clubs are trusted in their communities, and this can help to remove barriers for accessing support. Clubs are successfully addressing challenges linked to health, wellbeing, education and employment as well as helping to keep communities connected. We look forward to celebrating and recognising this incredible work in front of match-going fans during the Community Weekends.”

Debbie Cook, Director of Community at the EFL, said: “EFL Club Charities engage more than 1 million people in our communities all year round. To be able to showcase the Club community work as a collective and acknowledge the work of participants and programme leaders -many of whom are volunteers – really shows the scope and impact this vital work plays in supporting local fans and residents.”

The EFL Community Weekends build on the success of the recent EFL Week of Action in November – where the League and its Clubs shone a light on the significant social impact Club community work has on towns and cities in England and Wales. This was valued at over £1.24 billion a season in the latest community impact report found here.

During the 2023/24 season, EFL Football Club charities delivered 438,033 sessions across 801,661 hours with an average of 6,084 sessions and 11,134 hours of support per Club.

For more information on the EFL Community Weekends and the impact of EFL Club community work please visit www.efl.com