New EFL Community Director Appointed To Lead EFL Trust

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Debbie Cook has been appointed as the EFL’s new Director of Community and will be responsible for overseeing the management of the EFL’s charitable arm, the EFL Trust.

Having worked in local government for 22 years, Cook brings a wealth of leadership experience, previously holding CEO positions at a national health charity and YMCA Humber respectively, before joining Grimsby Town as CEO in June 2021.

Announced at the EFL Trust’s annual conference today (29th November), Cook will also join the League’s Executive Leadership team to further strengthen the EFL and EFL Trust, building on the annual £865m social value contribution that the League’s 72 Clubs make in towns and cities across England and Wales each year.

Trevor Birch, CEO of the EFL, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Debbie to the EFL, bringing with her a wealth of expertise and leadership skills across the sports and charity sectors. I have no doubt that Debbie will make a significant contribution to the League’s Executive team while overseeing operations of the EFL Trust.”

Liam Scully, Chair of the EFL Trust, added: “On behalf of the EFL Trust Board, we’d like to thank our senior team for their unwavering commitment and achievements in managing the charity over what’s been an uncertain 10 months for the EFL Trust. We welcome Debbie to the role and look forward to building on the foundations that have been provided by the network’s outstanding work in recent years.”

Debbie said: “EFL Clubs make a huge impact on communities on a scale which is unprecedented in this country and I’m excited to be joining the EFL as we seek to build on the amazing work that goes on day in, day out.

“It’s been a privilege to witness at Grimsby Town Football Club just how much a club can represent a community and impact the lives of so many people.

“The lessons I have learned during my wonderful period at the club will inform much of my work and I am excited to take on this new challenge.”

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust’s award winning Men in Sheds group visit Senior Training Centre

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Today is International Men’s Day.

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust’s award winning Men in Sheds group visited the Senior Training Centre earlier this month to meet the first team squad.

The group were given a tour of the facility, and watched the first team prepare for their Championship match at home against Preston North End.They also had a Q&A session with Rovers’ Tyrhys Dolan, with the discussion focused on mental health and well-being.

Tyrhys was very open with the group about the challenges he has faced in his life, following the passing of his best friend Jeremy Wisten in 2020.Likewise, the Men in Sheds group shared their own experiences of how they have lost somebody close to them, and how it had an impact on their mental health.

The Men in Sheds project is run in partnership with Darwen Council, with the aim of supporting men in the community to discuss their mental health and develop new skills in a safe environment.

The group has 20 plus members signed up, and they all meet up on a weekly basis, and have developed close friendships courtesy of the programme. In 2022, Men in Sheds won the Health and Wellbeing Awards – Group – at the Community Volunteer Awards at King George’s Hall.

Bharat Parmar, who regularly attends in the Men in Sheds programme, said: “It was nice to speak to a professional footballer about what he has gone through and it is not easy to talk about.“Tyrhys is only 21 years old and being able to talk about what he has gone through, and he is like an ambassador now to raise awareness, it is fantastic what he does.

“It is great for the Men in Sheds group to be involved with this visit to the Senior Training Centre. Unless people talk about mental health, it will never go any further, so it is important we do talk.”

Each year, on the 19th November, International Men’s Day celebrates worldwide the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities. The purpose for International Men’s Day is to also raise awareness for the multiple issues that men face.

Ilyas Patel, who runs the Men in Sheds programme for Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, said: “It was a privilege to have the opportunity to visit the senior traning ground last week and be able to watch the players train.

“The group absolutely loved it and were so excited to have their shirts signed and to get to meet the players. Meeting with Tyrhys Dolan and him talking about his struggles was inspirational and really helpful to the group.”

 

United In Support For Our Armed Forces Community

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EFL Clubs and their Community Organisations have been paying their respects and tributes to the Armed Forces community.

Grounds across the EFL stood still this November to observe two-minute silences prior to kick offs, also welcoming military personnel, players wearing poppies on shirts and wreaths laid on the pitch.

The Armed Forces Community are a huge part of EFL communities with more than 1.8m people in England reporting they had previously served in the UK.

Many Clubs and their Community Organisations (CCOs) across the EFL provide a range of support programmes for veterans of all ages, helping them with mental health challenges, and education and employment opportunities.

Here’s just a flavour of the community engagement that’s took place…

As part of the EFL Week of Action (6th-10th November), Preston North End Community & Education Trust hosted a football match with mixed teams of veterans and refugees/asylum seekers.

An celebratory occasion where football was used as a platform for integration, where everyone told their emotional stories before the match took place, including those from the PNE Forces programme.

The initiative includes football and social sessions designed to allow forces members of both past and present a way to keep active while forming new relationships with like-minded people, all the while benefiting their mental and physical health.

Many CCOs used EFL Week Of Action – a dedicated week that showcases the outstanding work within the 72 EFL Communities – to highlight stories of veterans they have supported.

Including Leeds United’s Sam Byram visit to the Club’s Veterans Group, and Baz Cooper who hit rock bottom, and spoke about how Club Doncaster Foundation helped him get back on his feet via their Fit Forces programme.

Over 50 members of the Armed Forces community attended Blackpool FC Community Trust’s NAAFI Break session, alongside Blackpool FC’s COO Jonty Castle who is also a veteran.

Sheffield Wednesday FC Community Programme took two veterans from their Owls In Force project into local primary schools where they shared their experiences. Take a look at their video here.

The CCO in Morecambe, a town with a long history supporting the Armed Forces community, even have a dedicated Veterans Support Officer among their ranks.

Veterans, serving personnel and families of veterans from across Lancashire unite at the Mazuma Stadium monthly, via a Morecambe FC Community Sports-run coffee morning session, where they have the chance to engage, seek out agency support and rediscover camaraderie.

 

“We have a duty to look after our Armed Forces and their families, and we and local partners, have a proud tradition of doing just that.

“Our coffee mornings have gone from strength to strength, including a newly-established volunteer group to work on more community projects. We felt it was right to introduce a dedicated role which has been gratefully funded by the Veterans Foundation to allow us to grow our support offer.

“We are also Bronze Award recipients of the Ministry Of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme working towards the Silver Award in due course.”

Stuart Glover, CEO of Morecambe FC Community Sports

The EFL and the EFL Trust earlier this summer – ahead of Armed Forces Day – invited members of the military and the Ministry of Defence to their joint signing of the Armed Forces Covenant.

In signing the covenant, both organisations seek to uphold the covenant’s principles, recognising the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring within the organisation and community by pledging their ongoing support to them.

“Members of the Armed Forces make a significant contribution to our country and we understand the issues that veterans and their family members face.

“We are proud to make a commit to share opportunities with the Armed Forces family, using football to bring people together for the greater good, and in an environment where they are treated fairly and equally and with an opportunity to thrive.”

Cathy Abraham, CEO of EFL Trust

 

“I served 10 years in the infantry with my local regiment. Throughout this time, football was a big part of army life – the connection between football and the armed forces has been going for a long time.

“Upon leaving the army I found it really difficult to settle back into civilian life but thanks to football, it helped me get to where I am today. I gained my coaching badges and got a full-time role with Stockport County Community Trust.

“We’re now looking at piloting our own programmes for the Armed Forces in the local area, where I can use my personal experience to help others from a similar background to me.”

Mark Ward from Stockport County Community Trust, who served as a solider and was awarded the Military Cross in 2010

Like Morecambe and other CCOs, many provide weekly support to local veterans using their stadiums as welcoming environments.

At Cardiff City FC, their Community Foundation’s Armed Forces Veterans Hub is a social isolation project that supports veterans who are at high risk of social isolation and loneliness. Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan has a veterans population of around 27,000 and 8% suffer from mental health issues including depression and anxiety.

Weekly online and face-to-face sessions provide structure and support for people to get together, connect and take part in a range of activities that improve physical and mental wellbeing.

Blackpool Community Trust go beyond Bloomfield Road and use their own facility at the Aspire Sports Hub as well as their popular weekly walk where gentle routes around the scenic grounds of Stanley Park are enjoyed.

“When we talk about armed forces veterans, typically we think of people aged 60 – 70 years of age but it is absolutely not just that age group. The people we are engaging with at Blackpool Community Trust are in their 20s and early thirties.

“While our provision primarily focuses on football activities, we also deliver support for things like housing benefits and mental and social health for each veteran and their family members.”

Ashley Hackett, CEO of Blackpool Community Trust

EFL WEEK OF ACTION SHINES A LIGHT ON LIFE CHANGING COMMUNITY WORK ACROSS ENGLAND AND WALES       

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Today marks the start of the English Football League’s (EFL) annual Week of Action (6 – 10 November) where all 72 member Clubs unite to highlight the impact they have on their communities as a collective.

Across the week, managers and players including Pompey’s John Mousinho, Saint’s striker Che Adams, and Wrexham’s Paul Mullin will be out in their local areas meeting participants and getting involved in the life-changing community activities their Club’s deliver through their Club Community Organisations (CCOs). Almost 48,500 appearances have been made by EFL players over the last three seasons.

EFL Clubs support hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people all year round, with the demand continuing to rise from challenges including the current cost of living crisis. As evidenced in the EFL’s most recent community impact report, more than 840,000 participants engaged in EFL Club community activities over almost 580,000 hours during across the season. In the same period EFL Clubs delivered over £865m worth of social value to towns and cities across the country and generated more than £101m for community investment.

The 2023/24 Week of Action will see appearances including:

  • Wrexham AFC’s Paul Mullin will meet participants from the Club’s holiday camp designed specifically for primary and secondary school-aged children with autism
  • Blackpool players helping out with a foodbank collection at the stadium which provides 50 food parcels each week to the local community
  • Carlisle’s manager Paul Simpson will take part in a Q&A session during the Club’s Veteran’s Breakfast event
  • Portsmouth’s John Mousinho will demonstrate his culinary skills while getting involved in a youth cooking session at Pompey’s Blue’s Kitchen
  • Southampton striker, Che Adams, will be taking part in an Active Through Football session with refugees living in the community
  • Conor Chaplin will meet with Ipswich Town’s official LGBTQ+ supporters group
  • Bristol Rovers first team squad will visit participants from the Club’s mental health programme, Rebound Rovers, during a tour of the training ground
  • To mark the 15th birthday of QPR’s down’s syndrome team, Tiger Cubs, players have been invited to meet the new manager and first team at the training ground where they’ll take part in a skills session

Trevor Birch, CEO of the EFL, said:

“The EFL is about two things – great football competitions and supporting communities 365 days a year – and our annual Week of Action highlights so clearly the strength and breadth of the community work clubs deliver.

“Every week players and managers across the League take time away from the training pitch to get actively involved in their Clubs’ community work, acting as role models and inspiring the next generation. Through the Week of Action campaign, we’re able to give Club community work the prolife it deserves, sharing the remarkable stories of those whose lives have been changed, and in some cases, saved through the work of their local Club.”

Cathy Abraham, CEO of the EFL Trust, said:

“We’re immensely proud of the ground-breaking work our Clubs and Club Community Organisations provide, and the unique ability of the network are supported to deliver local impact on a national scale. The investment Clubs make in their communities through these programmes is testament to the value they bring to people’s lives.”

Click here to download a copy of the ‘Measuring the Impact of Clubs in the Community’ report and to find out more about the EFL Week of Action visit www.efl.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

How the support of USW and Carlisle United Community Sports Trust has driven Ross to ensure sport is accessible.

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As an avid fan of Carlisle United, the opportunity for Ross to study for a degree at his Club provided him with “great joy and a whole new feeling of excitement” which meant ‘work’ didn’t feel like ‘work’ to Ross.

Moreover, the extra support from the academic mentors at Carlisle United helped Ross learn in a way that suited him and his own personal circumstance.

He said: “Often I would go into the study centre and ask for help, they would help me structure my work in a way that my autism would understand, which would allow me to complete the work successfully.”

The University of South Wales allows students to gain practical experience in their desired nature of work, whilst allowing for a blended learning approach where students have both face-to face and online learning. The courses which are hosted at your local football club has a huge emphasis on gaining real world learning through placements with students only having to attend the University for short residential periods.

Students on the degree programme have numerous points of support, despite its blended learning approach from club mentors to lecturers. This level of support was a huge driver in Ross’ success in completing his degree with a first class.

As an individual who thrives off support and inclusion, Ross he enjoyed the residential trips that happen throughout the year. The students travel to Cardiff to take part in theory and practical sessions that allow them to meet their lecturers and peers in person.

Ross explained: My favourite part of the degree was going down to Cardiff on residential, meeting my lectures, meeting friends and having a chat with everyone because it was all people within the same boat as me, the same interests who wanted to do what I do and talking to them made me feel like I had strong friendships.”

With these bonds, and Ross’ passion for inclusion, the degree has prepared him for his future career.

“When I was growing up there was never a team that was for me my Autism, so I felt I missed out a bit. However, there’s lots of inclusion and sport involved within the degree as well as man management and methods of working with children and people with differences.  This  has helped me use those within my work and I want to make sure that in the future everyone get to enjoy sport.”

Ross currently works at Carlisle Youth Zone where he endeavours to put a smile on everyone’s faces through ensuring  everyone has access to sport.

Click here to find out more.

From work experience to School Sports Coordinator: How USW gave Leah the skills for full-time employment at Wigan Athletic Community Trust.

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Leah is no stranger to Wigan Athletic Community Trust having first been given an insight into the fantastic work they do to serve their local people whilst on work experience in secondary school.

Leah comments, “Whilst I was ok at school, I was just bumbling a long and not overly interested in anything. However the work experience at the Trust inspired me to want to be part of what they do.”

Having impressed, she was invited back at interview stage for an 18-month apprenticeship. The familiarity of her surroundings put her in good stead and been Leah completed the apprenticeship programme before moving on to the foundation degree programme in partnership with the University of South Wales.

The University of South Wales allows students to gain practical experience in their desired nature of work, whilst allowing for a blended learning approach where students have both face-to face and online learning. The courses which are hosted at your local football club has a huge emphasis on gaining real world learning through placements with students only having to attend the University for short residential periods.

Although the foundation degree programme provides blended learning, allowing students to learn remotely whilst accessing work-placement opportunities. There is also a large emphasis on the cohesion and enjoyment that residential trips provide.

However, with a national lockdown in place, Leah would not get to experience the degree as she did in her 2nd and 3rd years. However, she would not be disheartened.

As the world opened again, Leah could venture into the working world through a plethora of opportunities that the Trust provides though various provisions.

She explained that this exposure made her “more organised, be able to manage time and become a better coach.”

This was the start of Leah’s journey into full time employment at the club she had known for years.

With a promotion to School Sports Coordinator shortly after she graduated from the University of South Wales, it was a role that she adores.

She said: “I absolutely love working with children, they brighten my day with how enthusiastic they are about PE and Sport.”

Despite, self admittedly not being an avid football fan like many who enrol on the course, Leah’s story is an example of how the University of South Wales Foundation Degree allows students to tailor their own learning and pathways to excel at all levels of coaching from football to dance.

 

Click here to find out more.

Foundation Degree with Bristol Rovers helped Will build confidence in finding his future career path.

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Will always wanted to be a football coach, but lacked the confidence to fulfil his dream.

He was nervous about seeking out the opportunities that would allow him to progress into coaching and not comfortable in asking for help either. This was a driver in Will’s decision to enroll on the USW Foundation degree course at Bristol Rovers. He was fan of the Club and the course offered the chance to gain coaching experience alongside his studies, which in turn removed the daunting idea of having to find the opportunities himself.

He described himself as “never the confident person in the room, I would always be the one at the back being quiet.”  However, the foundation degree nurtured Will’s confidence and exposed him to real-world working environments that took him out of his comfort zone and allowed him to grow both personally and professionally.

The University of South Wales allows students to gain practical experience in their desired nature of work, whilst allowing for a blended learning approach where students have both face-to face and online learning. The courses which are hosted at your local football club has a huge emphasis on gaining real world learning through placements with students only having to attend the University for short residential periods.

The foundation degree also provides students with the ability to gain further qualifications alongside their studies including their coaching badges, something that helped Will to hone in on his future.

He explained: “I felt this differed from different educational experiences as I was able to gain work experience whilst studying. I was able to gain qualifications along the way and was able to work on different projects that the trust offered to find the area of work I enjoyed the most.”

As someone who struggled for confidence, Will hugely benefited from the small class size as it allowed him to gain more in depth, individual support from his degree mentor. Will has continued at his degree provider, Bristol Rovers Community Trust where he is now Head of Inclusion and Degree Mentor on the same programme that provided him the platform to develop his self-belief, confidence and career aspirations.

Click here to find out more.