EITC Named as Best Community Scheme

Everton in the Community has been recognised as the Premier League’s Best Community Scheme at this year’s prestigious Football Business Awards in London.

Hosted by BBC Sport presenter, Jason Mohammad, on Friday 26 May, the annual Football Business Awards reward and recognise the important role clubs and businesses play in enabling the game to be a success on and off the pitch.

The Club’s official charity saw off strong competition from LFC Foundation, Fulham FC Foundation and Manchester United Foundation to scoop gold in the ‘Best Football Community Scheme – Premier League’ with judges remarking that EitC is "an absolute exemplar in the work that a top-level football club can do in the community" and its "societal value indicator demonstrates huge impact and should be championed far and wide".

The past 12 months has seen Everton in the Community launch a number of new initiatives including a programme to help support individuals with long-term health conditions, a health and social care employability programme and a dedicated wellbeing programme to provide tailored support to new and expectant dads as well as opened the doors to The People’s Place, a purpose-built hub to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.

Everton in the Community also took home silver in the ‘Best Corporate Social Responsibility Scheme’ category in recognition of its Blue Base Pantry project which supports Liverpool 4 residents with the rise in the cost of living by providing access to discounted food and services such as benefits, welfare guidance, health screenings and a regular job fayre.

Reflecting on the charity’s win, EitC CEO Sue Gregory said: “We were delighted to be awarded gold in the Best Community Scheme at this year’s Football Business Awards and it is an accolade I would like to dedicate to our committed and hard-working staff and volunteers, without whom we would not have been able to have such an impact in our community over the years.

“Whilst it is wonderful for our work to be recognised on a national stage, we understand the importance of continuing to grow and evolve so we can continue helping as many people in need as possible across our city.”

Everton Football Club was also recognised at the ceremony, winning silver in the ‘Best Fan Engagement By A Club’ category for its content feature, My Everton, with technical partner hummel.

The My Everton series is a collection of first-hand, user-generated stories published on the Club’s website and its various social media platforms, giving supporters an opportunity to describe the moments that made them fall in love with the Blues – for the first time or all over again.