Trust honours community heroes at awards ceremony

Derby County Community Trust has celebrated and rewarded the people and projects making a difference in the local community at its annual awards.

Held at Pride Park Stadium, the home of Derby County, the trust recognised its standout personnel, projects and participants.

The trust, which is the charitable arm of the football club, works with more than 25,000 people each year through more than 40 programmes.

These range from football coaching sessions for three-year-olds to supporting people aged over 90 through care home resident activities.

The evening was attended by club chairman David Clowes, of Clowes Developments, as well as first team manager Liam Rosenior and player Curtis Davies.

Simon Carnall, head of community at the trust, said: “The awards are a key night in our calendar to showcase our inspiring participants, who excel in the way that they do thanks to the help and care from our staff.

“It’s truly a night which brings together everyone from across Derby County and we were thrilled to have shared it with our new chairman, along with his guests.”

Derby County Community Trust’s work has been recognised as the best in the Midlands six times in the last 10 years, and its annual awards shine a light on the staff, programmes and participants which lead it to be held in such high regard.

On the night, several awards were handed out celebrating all aspects of the trust’s delivery, from Community Impact to Participant of the Year.

This year’s winners were:
Community Impact: Inclusion Project (Opportunity Area)
Education Champion: Silverhill Primary School
Volunteer Champion: Dylan Goulding
Inclusion Champion: Megan Gray
Participant of the Year: Marsha and Sam Thomas
Special Recognition: Rams Family Fund
Employee of the Year: Jon Fairbrother
Programme of the Year: Football and Education

The awards evening was sponsored by long-term trust partners Smith Partnership.

Managing partner Kevin McGrath said: “Supporting the community and the unsung heroes of Derby and Derbyshire has always been important to Smith Partnership.

“Having the opportunity to support Derby County Community Trust and the local community by sponsoring the awards really was our pleasure.”

On the night, Rams manager Liam Rosenior said: “I’m here in a room full of people that are happy to be part of something bigger than themselves.

“It’s an absolute privilege and honour to be here and represent the football club.

“Every single person in this room contributes to what this football club is about, every nominee who has been here tonight has committed to making their own and other people’s lives better.

“The stories we’ve heard tonight show us we’re all on the same journey together, and I look forward to hearing many more in the future.”

A highlights video of the awards evening can be viewed here.