From 4-8 April, the English Football League (EFL) will launch its first ever Week of Action!
This week All 72 EFL Clubs and Club Community Organisations will showcase activity with EFL players and managers joining participants across England and Wales to celebrate the great work our EFL clubs do on our communities. Colchester United Football in the Community will be highlighting the incredible community work our club delivers across North Essex, sharing the impact that projects delivered across a wide range of areas have on those who our club supports.
Using the power of football, EFL Clubs and Club Community Organisations (CCOs) collectively invest over £59m in their communities every year, engaging with some of the most vulnerable members of society. In 2021, EFL Clubs and CCOs were recognised at both the Leaders Sports Awards and Sports Business Awards for the important and unique role they played in supporting their local communities during the pandemic.
Rick Parry, Chair of the EFL, said: “EFL Clubs are embedded in the towns and cities from which they take their name and this bond is strengthened by the life changing initiatives they run across England
and Wales every single day. The EFL Week of Action is an opportunity for us to celebrate this invaluable work and demonstrate the remarkable difference clubs have on their communities away from the pitch.”
Liam Scully, Chair of the EFL Trust, said: “Clubs’ work in their communities happens on a huge scale day in day out and directly aligns with priorities for the people in our communities both locally and on a national scale. The hours that are committed by our Club and Community Organisation teams and volunteers demonstrates an unwavering commitment to improving lives up and down the country and building stronger, healthier more active communities.”
Throughout the week Colchester United Football in the Community Staff will share the impact of the work that is carried out during the Easter Holidays with our diverse groups of participants, including Essex Activate Holiday Clubs, GK Camp, Easter Soccer Camp, Senior U’s and a takeover from our Girls Development Centre Squads during their away fixture vs Stevenage! Eddie the Eagle, Colchester United First Team Players who are Community Ambassadors and Colchester United Manager Wayne Brown will also be sharing the impact of community programmes on our social media platforms.
Keep a look out on Twitter and Facebook for the stories that will be told throughout the week, ending with community groups taking part in our match day on Saturday vs Stevenage at the Jobserve Community Stadium.
Rick Goldsbrough, Community Performance Manager at Colchester United Football in the Community shared “To be a part of The first ever EFL Week of Action, is a great opportunity to share the stories of our participants and the work your club does to support our communities alongside our fellow CCO’s across the country.. We’re proud to work with such a diverse range of people and organisations to enhance the support available to people whoever they are on a daily basis. Look out for some great content coming from us this week, all the way up to the game vs Stevenage on Saturday!”
Keep an eye on CUFITC and club social media channels for our celebrations and stories this week!
For more on how Colchester United Football in the Community support our local communities, check out the 2021 Impact Report - https://www.cu-fc.com/news/2022/march/fitc-impact-report-2021/