Derby County Community Trust’s Annual Awards returned this week, celebrating and rewarding standout participants, projects and participants.

From coaching sessions which kickstart 3-year-olds’ footballing journeys, through to supporting 90+ year olds through care home resident activity, the charitable arm of the football club, the Trust works with over 25,000 people each year through over 40 programmes.

Eight different awards celebrate 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

Club chairman, David Clowes, joined the event, accompanied his wife and other members of Clowes Developments. First team manager and captain, Liam Rosenior and Curtis Davies were also in attendance to congratulate those shortlisted and named winners.

Simon Carnall, Head of Community at the Trust, said: “The awards are a key night in 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 are thrilled to have shared it with our new chairman, along with his guests.

“Now we are back to full capacity following two years of pandemic-led activity, it was great to celebrate young, vibrant talent from across our organisation, whilst also recognising the steps we took during that time to ensure we kept participants engaged and active.”

Long-term partners of the Trust, Smith Partnership, returned as headline sponsors. Kevin McGrath, Managing Director, added: “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 is our pleasure.”

Liam Rosenior, First Team Manager, closed the evening, saying: “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.”

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

To find out more about the Trust’s work, please visit www.derbycountycommunitytrust.com.