From cheering on young volunteers making a difference in their communities, to kitting out grassroots clubs across the country – it’s been an incredible summer.
Here’s some of our favourite moments from the season.
Celebrating The Young Volunteer Of The Year at The Grassroots Football Awards
We were proud to see our CEO, Paul Findlay, congratulate the Young Volunteer of the Year winner at this year’s incredible Grassroots Football Awards, held at Wembley Stadium ahead of the Community Shield match for Liverpool v Crystal Palace.
This year’s winner, Lleyton Canning, was described as “having a lasting impact on youngsters struggling with rejection and low self-esteem.” Through coaching, officiating and offering encouragement at Morley Rangers U11’s, Lleyton plays a vital role in helping young players grow in confidence.
To recognise his work, we were delighted to award Lleyton and Devon FA a £5,000 grant to help more young people access grassroots football.
Meeting The Winners Of Our National Kit Giveaway
3,000 brand new kits. 3,000 reasons why we do what we do.
Following the incredible response to our Unisex Kit Giveaway, run in partnership with Teamgrassroots, we were proud to see the kits packed and ready to reach grassroots clubs in every county across the country. Even better, we had the chance to meet some of the clubs receiving them.
For Ian at Heaton Hawks, the impact was clear:
“It really takes the pressure off the parents. Supplying a kit this year means the money can be spent elsewhere, whether that’s on other equipment like balls or even saved for family days out – it goes a long way to helping grassroots players and their families.”
At Whitley Bay FC, Yvonne told us just how much the new kits mean:
“Getting these new strips has lifted a huge weight off our shoulders, as we’ve struggled to secure sponsorship. The kids will be over the moon when they see them, as this marks the start of their football journey at Under-7s, playing in a league for the first time.”
Football should be a joy, not a financial burden. We’re proud to stand alongside the people making sure every young player gets to start the season feeling proud, equipped, and equal.
We’ll be sharing more stories from the winning clubs in September and October – so keep an eye out for updates!
Where Community Meets the Arch
We recently welcomed our friends at Kiln Theatre to join us for the Community Shield match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace. Together, we brought along eight local young people aged 14–16, from the Arrive Build Create programme, a creative project supporting newly arrived and displaced young people to build confidence, learn language and communication skills, and find a sense of belonging.
For every single one of them, it was their very first time inside Wembley. And, as passionate Liverpool fans, the chance to cheer on their team under the famous arch made the day even more special.
Imogen Fletcher, Learning Producer at Kiln Theatre explained
“It was such a special day. For many of the young people this was their first time and Wembley and most of the group were Liverpool supporters! To walk out of the box and see the arena for the first time was such a lovely moment to share as a group. The Wembley team looked after us so well and were chatty and attentive with the young people. I’m sure this will be a memory for the young people for many years to come! I really look forward to hopefully returning in future with another group.”
Living near Wembley in the shadow of the arch, it’s needless to say these young people experienced something truly unforgettable and a day they’ll carry with them for a lifetime.
See our video recap of the day:
View this post on Instagram
Celebrating The FA Leadership Academy Graduates
Our team enjoyed an inspiring day at The FA Leadership Academy Graduation, held at the stunning Walton Hall.
The ceremony was expertly hosted by Thomas Lamberth, Chair of the FA National Youth Council 24/25, with the Keynote delivered by our CEO Paul Findlay, who shared some real gems about legacy and leadership.
We celebrated the 42 brilliant graduates of this year’s academy who have worked hard to make football more inclusive, accessible and truly youth-led, in communities across the nation!
We are delighted to announce our partnership with the FA Leadership Academy this year, meaning that participants and graduates of the programme will have access to a range of grants to support them in rolling out their programmes within their communities, increasing access to football in their communities.
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