Albion in the Community beat off competition from four Premiership club community schemes to win the best CSR programme award to add to the Football CEO of the Year award won by Paul Barber at last night's prestigious Football Business Awards at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge.The CSR award recognised the charity’s joint ‘Realise the Potential’ community programme with American Express®. Now in its third year, the initiative sees American Express employees work as volunteers alongside AITC staff to deliver community projects across Sussex.
The 2013 programme included projects which helped tackle childhood obesity, provided days out at leisure attractions across the county for disabled young children and their families, supported local unemployed people back into work and training and delivered education sessions for parents and children.
Michael Edwards, Chief Executive, Albion in the Community told seagulls.co.uk, “The award is fantastic recognition for all the hard work and dedication shown by the AITC and Amex staff who deliver this programme. To be recognised nationally for this work and to win it ahead of community schemes from a number of Premiership clubs is something we can all take huge pride in.”
The judges for the CSR award described the programme as, "an excellent example of a corporate and club partnership working well, involving staff as well as a large number of members of the community". AITC were also shortlisted for the Best Community Scheme award losing out to eventual winners, Everton in the Community.
Simon Burton, Director of the Awards added, “Business and football are inextricably linked and on-pitch performance needs to be matched by commercial acumen and achievement. Increasingly important is the work done by clubs within their community and Albion in the Community has certainly overcome some fierce competition in this category to merit this award."
The latest award caps a successful year both locally and nationally for the club's charitable arm. Last month it won the Outstanding Contribution to the Community award at the Worthing and Adur Business awards for its health, social inclusion and educational initiatives in the area, and in February shared in the success of Inigo Calderon's Football League Community Player of the Year award for the right back's work with it's education department.
Calderon said, "It is absolutely fantastic for Albion in the Community to receive the award, and it shows what a brilliant job everybody is doing. It's a privilege to be involved in the scheme, but my role is a small one, and this is testament to the hard work which goes on behind the scenes, every day at Albion in the Community.
"I know all those involved were really excited by the news last night, and I was getting tweets and texts to keep me informed. I'd like to add my congratulations and say well done as this is a well deserved award for all of the staff at AITC and the many American Express volunteers."
Ivan Mainprize, Vice President, American Express added, “We’re extremely proud to be part of the team receiving this award and the efforts American Express volunteers make in supporting Albion in the Community’s initiatives throughout Sussex.
"The ‘Realise the Potential of the Community programme’ is making a real difference to the lives of the communities where we live and work."
Original article
The 2013 programme included projects which helped tackle childhood obesity, provided days out at leisure attractions across the county for disabled young children and their families, supported local unemployed people back into work and training and delivered education sessions for parents and children.
Michael Edwards, Chief Executive, Albion in the Community told seagulls.co.uk, “The award is fantastic recognition for all the hard work and dedication shown by the AITC and Amex staff who deliver this programme. To be recognised nationally for this work and to win it ahead of community schemes from a number of Premiership clubs is something we can all take huge pride in.”
The judges for the CSR award described the programme as, "an excellent example of a corporate and club partnership working well, involving staff as well as a large number of members of the community". AITC were also shortlisted for the Best Community Scheme award losing out to eventual winners, Everton in the Community.
Simon Burton, Director of the Awards added, “Business and football are inextricably linked and on-pitch performance needs to be matched by commercial acumen and achievement. Increasingly important is the work done by clubs within their community and Albion in the Community has certainly overcome some fierce competition in this category to merit this award."
The latest award caps a successful year both locally and nationally for the club's charitable arm. Last month it won the Outstanding Contribution to the Community award at the Worthing and Adur Business awards for its health, social inclusion and educational initiatives in the area, and in February shared in the success of Inigo Calderon's Football League Community Player of the Year award for the right back's work with it's education department.
Calderon said, "It is absolutely fantastic for Albion in the Community to receive the award, and it shows what a brilliant job everybody is doing. It's a privilege to be involved in the scheme, but my role is a small one, and this is testament to the hard work which goes on behind the scenes, every day at Albion in the Community.
"I know all those involved were really excited by the news last night, and I was getting tweets and texts to keep me informed. I'd like to add my congratulations and say well done as this is a well deserved award for all of the staff at AITC and the many American Express volunteers."
Ivan Mainprize, Vice President, American Express added, “We’re extremely proud to be part of the team receiving this award and the efforts American Express volunteers make in supporting Albion in the Community’s initiatives throughout Sussex.
"The ‘Realise the Potential of the Community programme’ is making a real difference to the lives of the communities where we live and work."
Original article