Impact Report
Everton in the Community
2025/26
We Are Everton in the Community
The official charity of Everton Football Club and widely considered as one of the UK's top sporting charities due to the quality and reach of our programmes.
Our life-changing programmes are designed to combat the deepest-rooted social issues affecting Merseyside - from health and employability, to anti-social behaviour, crime, education, dementia and poverty.
Everton in the Community supports the most vulnerable and underprivileged members of local communities
through its programmes operating seven days a week.
The charity's work is vast and includes providing routes into education, training and employment, steering young people away from crime and anti-social behaviour and engaging children and adults, regardless of ability, in physical activity. In addition to helping individuals, Everton in the Community helps other charitable groups improve the lives of local people.
What We Stand For:
Our Purpose, Vision
and Mission
Our Purpose
The purpose of our charity is to deliver a service that is rated as 'best-in-class' by our participants, funders and community partners. A service that is recognised as highly successful in making a significant social contribution; changing lives and providing opportunities for all participants, particularly the most hard-to-reach and hard-to-help members of society.
Our Vision
Our vision is a world where everyone has access to the support they need to be the best they can be, regardless of who they are, where they live or the
challenges they face.
We want to be at the heart of this – empowering people and communities across the Liverpool City Region and beyond to build better futures and a stronger society.
Our Mission
We will deliver innovative programmes, develop thriving partnerships and provide vital support that will build stronger, healthier and more connected communities.
Our impact will leave a lasting legacy in the places where we live, work and play.
Our Trustees, Patrons and Ambassadors
We are pleased to have the support of an esteemed group of trustees, patrons and ambassadors who champion the
life-changing work of our charity.
Board
of Trustees
Sir John Jones – Chair of the Board
of Trustees
Dr Martin Carey
Ms. Sue Russell
Alix Craig
Carol Rogers MBE
Geoff Walters
Hannah Robinson
Louise Williams
Tracey Gore
John Schorah
We are thankful for the dedicated support of our honorary patrons:
Dame Judi Dench – Honorary Patron
Amanda Holden – Honorary Patron
Our ambassadors are committed to raising awareness of the work
of our charity:
Sir Andy Cooke
Sir Terry Leahy
Steve Smith
Professor Cynthia Pine CBE
Mark Kent
Mark Carney
Andrew Lancel
Graham Stuart
Ian Snodin
Rachel Brown-Finnis MBE
Professor Matt Ashton
Serena Kennedy
Our
Impact
We support 46,000
participants through
50+ programmes.
We reached more than 156,000
through our wider community engagement.
We operate in 151
venues across Merseyside.
We generate
£80.1 million worth of social value annually.
We have invested £13.5million
into L4 through purpose-built buildings.
A Message From Sue Gregory
Every year, this report provides an opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved together, and once again, I am incredibly proud of the difference our charity has made to tens of thousands of lives across Liverpool City Region.
At Everton in the Community, we believe football has the power to do far more than just entertain. It has the ability to inspire, connect people, tackle inequality and create lasting change. Every day, our dedicated staff, volunteers, partners and supporters harness that power to help people overcome challenges, build confidence and realise their potential.
Over the past year, we have continued to deliver life-changing support through more than 50+ programmes spanning education, employability, health and wellbeing, youth engagement and social inclusion. Behind every statistic in this report is a person, a family or a community whose future has been made brighter through the collective efforts of so many people.
This has also been a year of continued growth and collaboration. Building on our longstanding and close relationship with Everton Football Club, have further strengthened our relationships with public sector organisations, businesses, funders and academic institutions, enabling us to expand our reach, develop innovative services and respond to the evolving needs of our communities. These partnerships remain fundamental to everything we do, and we are incredibly grateful for the trust and commitment shown by everyone who shares our vision.
None of our achievements would be possible without the passion and professionalism of our staff and volunteers, the generosity of our supporters and fundraisers, and the unwavering commitment of our partners. My sincere thanks go to every individual and organisation that has played a part in our journey this year.
While we are proud of what has been achieved, we know our work has never been more important. Demand for our services continues to grow, and we remain committed to finding new ways to support those who need us most. Guided by our Trinity Project strategy, we will continue to innovate, collaborate and build stronger communities and brighter futures for generations to come.
I hope this report gives you a genuine insight into the scale of our impact and the remarkable people whose lives are being transformed every day.
Thank you for your continued support.
Where We Deliver
Liverpool
52%
Sefton
21%
Knowsley
12%
Wirral
2%
St. Helens
2%
Other
11%
Our Campus
GOODISON PARK
Goodison Road, Liverpool L4 4EL
Everton Football Club has been embedded in the Liverpool 4 community since its formation in 1878. They played their home games at Anfield before a dispute with the landlord saw the team move to the other side of Stanley Park, to Goodison Park in 1892.
Its residency in L4 over the years has paved the way for its official charity, Everton in the Community to regenerate and redevelop over £13 million into the area through its campus, located just 500 metres away from the Grand Old Lady.
In 2025, the ground embarked on a new era as the new home of Everton Women’s first team, and the base for Everton in the Community’s operations. It now also serves as the home of Everton Football College.
THE PEOPLE'S PLACE
46A Spellow Lane, Liverpool L4 4DF
Arguably Everton in the Community’s most ambitious project to date, The People’s Place is a mental health and wellbeing hub and the first of its kind attached to a Premier League Club.
What was once a vacant plot of land, the venue is an embodiment of Everton in the Community’s pioneering work in the mental health sector with the facility allowing for a huge expansion of the charity’s already award-winning programmes.
The People’s Place opened its doors in 2023, and as well as delivery rooms, breakout areas and garden space, the venue also has a wellbeing area incorporated into its design alongside a gym and meeting rooms.
THE BLUE BASE
Salop St, Liverpool L4 4BZ
The Blue Base welcomes hundreds of Everton in the Community participants to its facility every week as the home for programmes such as Pass on the Memories, Stand Together and Everton Veterans’ Hub, all of which tackle social isolation in L4.
Everton in the Community invested close to a million pound in 2018 when it opened the facility after the refurbishment of an old community centre.
With the capacity to welcome over 150 people, a fully licensed bar and plenty of parking, the Blue Base is also the ideal venue for private and business events.
DIGITAL SKILLS LAB
46 Spellow Lane, Liverpool L4 4DF
Located inside The People’s Hub, The Digital Skills Lab is the first of its kind in the region and is designed to provide young people in the L4 area and beyond with the same opportunities and aspirations as everybody else.
The Lab is also in response to the ever-changing digital landscape with the demand for STEAM based skillsets rapidly increasing for future jobs and careers.
Opened in 2021, the lab was funded by the First-Steam squad - a group of philanthropists passionate about supporting young people reach careers they may have previously thought were out of reach.
CRUYFF COURT
46 Spellow Lane, Liverpool L4 4DF
Situated at the back of The People’s Hub, the Cruyff Court has been in operation since 2017, and plays host to the majority of Everton in the Community’s football provision in L4.
The Cruyff Court is in operation most evenings and is a vital venue in the charity’s objectives to improve the mental and physical health in the area.
THE PEOPLE'S HUB
46 Spellow Lane, Liverpool L4 4DF
The People’s Hub was opened in 2017 and is recognised as the official location of Everton in the Community. It was previously a vacant plot of land.
As well as providing meeting, office and classroom space, The Hub is also the entrance point for the Cruyff Court and the Digital Skills Lab.
41 GOODISON
41 Goodison Road, Liverpool L4 4EL
41 Goodison is a venue which allows participants to feel like part of a home away from home.
Designed to provide a look and feel which allows children and young people accessing our services with a space to feel comfortable and be themselves, with a sensory space, kitchen, delivery space and a chill out area, the venue enables EitC participants the chance to express who they are and connect and make friends with their fellow participants.
HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
41 Goodison Road, Liverpool L4 4EL
Located in Liverpool 4, our four-bedroom residential house of our Home Is Where The Heart Is programme, providing young people at serious risk of homelessness with a safe, supportive place to live and plan for the future.
Funded by the charity’s annual stadium sleepout event, the house offers an environment where young people can develop essential life skills, build confidence and learn to live independently. With personalised support, residents are empowered to take their next steps into education, training or employment, helping them create brighter, more sustainable futures.
EITC CREATIVE MEDIA SUITE
46 Spellow Lane, Liverpool L4 4DF
Located in the upstairs of the People’s Hub, the EitC Creative Media Suite is providing the L4 community with a space to access high-quality media equipment, removing any barriers for young people to create content, story tell, express themselves and develop their media and creative skills.
The Trinity Project is Everton in the Community’s five-year strategy designed to bring
‘Stronger Communities, Brighter Futures’ to the Liverpool City Region.
Launched in 2023, the strategy aims to address the key social issues affecting the region – and through three pillars in Learns, Minds and Thrives and our innovative programmes, our impact will leave a lasting legacy in the places where we live, work and play.
Under our Learns pillar, we are dedicated to removing barriers and widening the pathway to education for people of all ages, ensuring that every individual has the chance to learn and grow.
We support children and young people throughout their educational journey, from ensuring children achieve their Early Learning Goals, to empowering young people develop the confidence to choose their own educational and career paths. Our Learns provision also equips adults with the necessary skills to thrive in future workplaces.
NEED
- In parts of Liverpool, many children are well below the city average in achieving their Early Learning Goals.
- Areas of Merseyside are more than 10% below the national average at GCSE level.
- Among adults, almost a third of the working-age population in parts of North Liverpool have no formal qualifications, impacting those seeking work and fulfilment.
- Seven of the 20 constituencies in the country with the highest levels of special educational needs among children are in Merseyside. The highest percentage in the country is in Liverpool, Walton.
IMPACT
Supported
16,583
participants
on their educational
journey in 2025/26.
Helped
488
children
achieve their Early Learning Goals.
256
participants
achieved a recognised qualification
through Everton in the Community.
Guided
90
people
into employment and
13 into apprenticeships.
1,138
people engaged
in employment pathways activities included 701 young people who attended industry specific career events
Delivered
1,448
sessions
to 181 SEND cohorts,
supporting 724 young people
with SEND across schools.
Supported over
2,500
young people
identified as at
risk of being NEET.
70%
of participants
within the Learns pillar have more positive attitudes towards personal development and careers.
72%
of participants
have improved their attainment whilst 66% of participants improved their attendance at school.
“My daughter is making massive progress thanks to EitC’s help and support and has been so much happier. I feel like I have got my daughter back after a really difficult time.”
“The staff are professional and caring in their approach and delivered an incredible programme to support our most vulnerable and
at-risk students.”
Learns Case Study - Charlotte
Key strategic partner, Steve Morgan Foundation (SMF), has invested more than £7 million into our life-changing Children and Youth Services and the comprehensive Steve Morgan Foundation Impact Model addresses barriers faced by young people growing up in areas of high deprivation.
13-year-old Charlotte, a proud Evertonian who regularly attends matches with her dad, showcases the incredible impact of the partnership, growing in confidence while also becoming a positive role model for younger participants.
Before engaging with two SMF-funded, arts-led programmes with our Youth Inclusion team and Premier League Kicks, Charlotte struggled with confidence and experienced bullying during her transition into secondary school.
She has always found performing arts a positive outlet for expressing herself but faced barriers to accessing sessions, including cost, time and a lack of local opportunities.
Since engaging with us over a year ago, Charlotte has created and performed original theatre productions exploring themes including life as a teenager in North Liverpool and female empowerment, performing to audiences at the Liverpool Lighthouse and Everyman Theatre.
Her journey has also seen her become an ambassador for Everton in the Community and an advocate for young people’s access to the arts.
Charlotte was received the Steve Morgan Foundation Award at this year’s Blue Heart Awards in recognition of her outstanding commitment.
Charlotte said: “Everton in the Community has helped me a lot, especially Laura. All the team is so supportive, and I know I can go to anyone if I need any help.
“The work everyone puts into the charity, especially the volunteers and staff, what they do and how they help young people is amazing.”
Through Thrives, we will empower, inspire and support our communities to live healthy, happy and fulfilling lives through an array of programmes that harness the power of football, life skills and bespoke support.
Our mission is to create thriving, healthy families by delivering comprehensive support throughout every stage of life in Liverpool 4 and beyond, while building stronger, safer and more respectful communities. We strive to create a more inclusive Liverpool City Region by empowering marginalised individuals and reducing barriers to opportunity and fostering a sense of belonging.
NEED
Over half of children in Liverpool live in income-deprived families, compared with 38% nationally.
- The cost-of-living crisis has caused an increasing number of families across Liverpool to fall into poverty.
- One in four Liverpool citizens have a disability and are facing barriers within sports, education, employment and social participation.
IMPACT
Prevented
38
young people
in Liverpool from
experiencing homelessness.
Supported
1,293
people
facing poverty with food,
housing and debt advice.
Engaged
1,916
children
and increased female participation in football by 35% through our Premier League Kicks programme.
Supported
3,276
people
with a disability or long-term disability.
Thrives Case Study - Gina
75-year-old Gina first engaged with us after her husband Sam sadly passed away. She regularly attends our weekly Stand Together group, which supports over-65s struggling with social isolation and loneliness.
While attending a session, she decided to take up the offer of a BEAT Breathlessness heart and lung screening via a simple finger prick blood sample as she had been feeling short of breath.
A raised finger-prick NTproBNP level was discovered, requiring an echocardiogram which was conducted at The People's Place.
The AI-assisted echocardiogram performed by heart failure specialist nurse and assessed by Dr Sankaranarayanan (consultant heart failure cardiologist and clinical lead for the BEAT Breathlessness project) uncovered a diagnosis of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), a potentially life-threatening condition where the heart is unable to pump blood effectively around the body and causes breathlessness.
Gina already had heart conditions such as a blocked valve and angina but had faced long waiting lists for a hospital appointment and multiple cancellations.
Since being diagnosed with heart failure and starting treatment, she has attended regular appointments, undergone further investigations, and started medication.
Gina is one of more than 900 people to undergo a BEAT Breathlessness screening this year, with the project named Community Initiative of the Season at the North West Football Awards in November 2025.
Speaking about EitC, Gina said: “I can’t thank them enough. They helped me after I lost Sam, we got over that together and with my friends around me. And my heart? You can’t get any better than that.
“If I hadn’t got the screening done, I’d still be waiting to go to the hospital for an appointment and facing cancellations until one day it would be too late.
“Everton - they’ve saved my life. They really have.”
Three academic journals have been published for the BEAT Breathlessness Hub, highlighting the significant impact of community-based healthcare and demonstrating excellence in effective collaboration and delivery. This included reducing the clinical pathway for heart failure from six months to one hour.
Through our Neighbourhood Health Model, we partnered with University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, Liverpool City Council, Primary Care and voluntary sector organisations to deliver community-based breast cancer screening. Almost 2,000 women were screened, with five cases of breast cancer identified, enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment.
We also collaborated with The Walton Centre to host a Spinal Community Assessment Day at The People's Place. Seven spinal surgeons, a team of physiotherapists and more than 40 health and community organisations assessed over 100 patients on waiting lists for appointments, providing direct referrals to surgeons or physiotherapy while reducing NHS waiting lists. The activation also connected patients with wider community support, including healthy lifestyle services, debt advice and employment support.
EitC removed barriers to swimming in Knowsley by installing a pop-up pool at Knowsley Lane Primary School, giving more than 400 children access to lessons. Year 6 participation increased from 15% to 100%, with 83% achieving the National Curriculum standard.
Through our Minds Pillar, we are committed to improving mental health by reducing stigma, raising awareness and ensuring people can access the right support when they need it. Through targeted early intervention, specialist services and collaborative partnerships, we help prevent poor mental health, support people living with mental health conditions, promote suicide prevention and drive innovative approaches that enable people to live well, including those affected by dementia.
NEED
- Liverpool has one of the UK’s highest levels of poor mental health.
- Mental health service users in Liverpool live, on average, 20 years less than those in the rest of the UK.
- More than 15,000 people across Merseyside are currently living with dementia.
IMPACT
Supported the mental health of more than
9,000
people
across the
Liverpool City Region.
Provided physical health support to
5,685
people.
Engaged
1,215
people
through Together Against Suicide, our matchday wellbeing support service.
Helped tackle social isolation by providing weekly social activities for
217
older
residents.
Minds Case Study
22-year-old Sam’s life changed after accessing Everton in the Community’s mental health support, after struggling to find the help he needed.
A lifelong Blue, Sam felt like he was being sent around in circles and reaching out to anything and everything before discovering EitC’s ‘Imagine Your Goals’ programme.
The ground-breaking fitness project offers local people living with mental health issues the opportunity to talk and seek support in a familiar environment.
Sam described ‘Imagine Your Goals’ as the highlight of his week and said it was instrumental in giving him “a reason to exist again”.
To mark World Mental Health Day in October, Sam bravely shared his story with Everton’s James Tarkowski and BBC’s Match of the Day, during a special day at Finch Farm, where he also took part in a football session and toured the first-team facilities.
During a walk-and-talk with the Toffees’ vice-captain, Sam opened up about his mental health struggles, including living with Emotional Unstable Personality Disorder as well as the life-changing support he has received from the charity.
Moving to Liverpool from the Isle of Man had exacerbated his struggles and he had found himself in a “deep, dark depression” without a support system.
He recalled how staff responded the same day he reached out for urgent help and invited him to the EitC Campus to discuss how they could support him. This led to him joining the Imagine Your Goals course, combining a weekly classroom session with a football session.
Since first engaging with the charity, Sam has grown in confidence and now gives back as a volunteer, supporting events including Community Day.
Tarkowski said: "There's a lot of people going through it and people have come out the other side. Sam's a great example of someone who was really struggling with his mental health, low on self-confidence and self-belief, and just by putting himself out there a little bit, look at him now.
He's grown into someone who's very confident, speaking very well. It shows what can be done in such a short space of time."
Sam's journey stands as a shining example of the power of football and how the right support can transform lives.
New SMF Funding
Since 2020, Everton in the Community has worked with Steve Morgan Foundation delivering the ‘Steve Morgan Community Impact Model’ - an innovative, place-based approach designed to improve educational outcomes, protect young people from exploitation and create pathways to careers.
First launched in Speke-Garston, the innovative programme addresses barriers faced by young people growing up in areas of high deprivation, empowering them not only to achieve a brighter future but to believe this is possible in the first place.
The nationally recognised model was extended to North Liverpool and South Sefton in 2024, where data highlighted high levels of deprivation, low educational attainment, increased benefit dependency and rising ASB and youth exploitation.
Due to the success of the Impact Model, Everton in the Community was awarded additional funding from the Steve Morgan Foundation in 2025, enabling the charity to provide enhanced support in Speke-Garston and extend its reach to young people across Knowsley.
Knowsley was identified as a high-need area, with the highest rate of secondary school children eligible for free school meals and nearly double the national rate for primary school eligibility.
It faced low secondary school results, the highest level of childhood obesity in 20 years, the third-highest rate of children with SEND, one of the highest rates of self-harm admissions, and the highest rate of persistent absence in England.
The multi-million-pound funding enabled us to respond to these urgent needs while also tackling emerging issues these in Speke-Garston, including poor mental health, persistent absenteeism, a significant rise of SEND pupils in mainstream schools, and lack of support for those living with neurodiverse conditions.
Initially operating through the four interconnected themes of Education, Community, Support and Pathways, the model has now evolved to include a Health and Wellbeing strand.
This introduced a range of intensive interventions to address growing mental health challenges in schools, alongside expanded personal, social, health and SEND enrichment programmes.
It also supported the launch of a first-of-its-kind ADHD and neurodiversity community support programme, providing specialist advice, guidance and support to children, young people, teachers and families.
Since launching this year, 278 young people across Speke-Garston and Knowsley have accessed the new Health and Wellbeing provision, with the wider Impact Model supporting 9,483 individuals in total across this season.
Improvements in learning are already clear in Knowsley, with a three-month targeted literacy intervention for Year 5 learners at one primary school resulting in a 40% improvement in outcomes and 60% of pupils achieving the Expected Standard or Greater Depth.
Another primary school, which initially had pupils performing below the Expected Standard in literacy, saw 90% of Year 6 pupils achieve the Expected Standard or higher in their SATs, while 73% of participants began reading at home – a significant change in attitude.
One pupil said: “I really enjoy my session with EitC as I get more support than I would in class, I feel so much more confident reading in front of my classmates.”
To date, the Impact Model has supported more than 50,000 young people, redefining education, creating lasting opportunity and changing outcomes across the Liverpool City Region.
TAKING ON THE WORLD – SCWC
Shaped by Everton Women's Courtney Brosnan and Katja Snoeijs, EitC's Beyond the Pitch: Street Child World Cup 2026 project gave a team of young girls from Liverpool the unique opportunity to represent England on the global stage.
Organised by Street Child United, the tournament in Mexico City united young people from across the world for a celebration of football, arts and youth-led Congress sessions, all designed to champion the rights of street-connected children.
The initiative empowers children by advocating for their rights and providing opportunities they deserve, with EitC’s girls’ team featuring 10 players chosen from our Children and Youth Services.
Supporting their journey to Mexico for 12 months, Courtney and Katja were pivotal in preparing and inspiring the squad ahead of the special tournament, which preceded the FIFA World Cup, hosting a series of educational workshops and activities.
The initiative was made possible through the Players' Project Pilot, funded by the Premier League and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).
Our charity was one of just 14 professional football club charities selected to receive the innovative funding, which supports projects that tackle inequalities, raise aspirations and inspire positive change in communities across England and Wales.
Courtney Brosnan said: “Football has the power to unite diverse communities and raise awareness about prevalent social issues which is Street Child World Cup, and Everton’s official charity, is all about.
“It has been a pleasure to work with EitC and the fantastic girls representing Everton and England!”
OUR FIRST YEAR AT HILL DICKINSON STADIUM
The 2025/26 season marked the beginning of a new era for Everton as the Blues moved to their new waterfront home at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
While Everton in the Community's campus remains rooted in L4, preserving Goodison Park's longstanding community legacy, the Club's move created exciting new opportunities to extend our social impact.
Community Day became one of EitC’s first major charity activations at Hill Dickinson Stadium, engaging thousands of supporters and raising more than £35,000 to support our life-changing work ahead of a 3-0 home victory over Chelsea.
Staff, volunteers and participants brought the charity's work to life, with fans enjoying multi-sports activities on the Plaza, performances from the Katumba samba band and opportunities to learn more about our award-winning programmes through a series of information hubs and interactive experiences.
Community Day also highlighted the support of the wider Everton family, with first-team players warming up in EitC
t-shirts and the Junior Fans' Forum partnering with Aramark to create a limited-edition fundraising doughnut.
The new stadium also became the home of our annual
Stadium Sleepout, one of our flagship fundraising events.
First held at Goodison Park in 2016, the Sleepout raises vital funds for our Home Is Where The Heart Is (HIWTHI) programme, supporting young people across the Liverpool City Region who are at risk of homelessness.
In October, 165 supporters took part in the first Sleepout at Hill Dickinson Stadium, raising more than £33,000.
The event offers participants the opportunity to experience Everton's new home in a unique and meaningful way while encouraging reflection on the realities faced by those experiencing homelessness.
The first-ever Junior Sleepout at Hill Dickinson Stadium also welcomed 266 young participants, raising more than £20,000 in support of HIWTHI.
The move also enabled our Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub to expand its matchday presence through the Gary Speed Memorial Talking Bench.
Named in honour of the former Everton captain, the bench offers a place where individuals can speak openly or simply sit alongside others without judgement.
Ahead of every home fixture, the team is on hand from two hours before kick-off. Easily recognised by their bright orange bibs, staff and volunteers offer a listening ear, provide information and connect supporters with our mental health and wellbeing programmes.
The initiative forms part of our commitment to the Premier League's Together Against Suicide pilot scheme, ensuring support is visible, accessible and available to anyone who may need it on matchdays.
While Hill Dickinson Stadium offers exciting new opportunities, Goodison Park continues to play a vital role in our mission as the new home of Everton Women.
Together, the two sites allow us to build on Everton's proud community legacy while deepening our commitment to L4 and the regeneration of one of England's most deprived neighbourhoods.
Volunteers
Volunteering is at the heart of everything we do. We would not be where we are today without the dedication and generosity of our volunteers, whose contributions are vital to delivering our life-changing work.
During the 2025/26 season, 167 invaluable volunteers supported over 60 EitC programmes and made a real difference to the local community.
Case study - Mark
One such volunteer is former teacher Mark, who has shown unwavering commitment to EitC and contributed over 500 hours.
Mark’s connection with the charity stretches back two decades, beginning when the SEND school he worked at partnered with EitC through its disability project.
The experience inspired him to “give back” to the community, leading him to volunteer across several of our programmes, including The Blue Base Pantry, dementia support initiative Pass on the Memories and EitC’s programme combatting social isolation, Stand Together.
Mark is described by peers as someone who “will do anything for you” and “integral” to the running of The Blue Base Pantry.
The weekly pantry was initially set up to combat food insecurity within Liverpool 4 following the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent cost-of-living crisis by providing access to high-quality discounted food for a small subscription fee.
In honour of Mark’s contributions to the charity, Everton ambassadors Ian Snodin and Graham Stuart presented him with Spirit of the Blues Volunteer of the Year award before helping at the pantry.
Mark has also supported the launch of Versus Cancer, a new cancer support programme delivered alongside fellow Football Club Charities at Tranmere Rovers, Crewe Alexandra and Chester FC, extending access to vital physical, mental and emotional support across communities throughout the region.
MANAGER TAKES IN THE BEATING BLUE HEART OF EITC
The incredible season culminated with the highly anticipated Blue Heart Awards, where Men's First Team Manager David Moyes joined Everton Football Club CEO Angus Kinnear in celebrating the people at the heart of our life-changing work.
Held at BOXPARK Liverpool, the annual awards ceremony honoured participants, volunteers and fundraisers from across EitC's wide range of programmes and initiatives.
Hosted by renowned broadcaster Giulia Bould, the evening recognised outstanding achievements across 12 categories with David Moyes and Angus Kinnear presenting awards in the first six categories and joining the charity in recognising the remarkable individuals whose commitment continues to make a lasting difference across the Liverpool City Region.
David Moyes said: “One of the things Everton was always really famous for was the work done in the community.
“Even years ago, the work done was so good and, when I see it now, it’s enhanced greatly. A big thank you to all of the workers and everyone who puts the time in to make it so good.”
The manager further reinforced his commitment to Everton in the Community by bringing the men’s first team to EitC’s annual Showcase at Finch Farm.
The seventh edition shone a spotlight on four of the charity’s life-changing programmes, including Tackling the Blues and Stand Together, both funded by the Premier League and Professional Footballers' Association.
Participants from Tackling the Blues, which supports children and young people facing mental health challenges, took part in a wellbeing obstacle course with members of the squad before reflecting on the signs of worry and anxiety.
Meanwhile, players joined older participants from Stand Together - a twice-weekly programme supporting people aged 65 and over who may be experiencing loneliness or social isolation - for a range of table-top games, including chess, draughts, dominoes, cards and backgammon.
Participants from Premier League Inspires, which supports secondary school pupils facing educational barriers, worked alongside players on a series of team challenges designed to build confidence, resilience and communication skills, including coding and active literacy activities.
Members of the squad also took part in a series of energetic challenges with our Interventions programme, which provides targeted support for young people who are disengaged from education or at risk of exclusion, exploitation or criminal involvement, using positive relationships and tailored support to help them achieve better outcomes.
As we look towards the future, there is a real sense of excitement about what lies ahead for Everton in the Community.
The 2025/26 season has been another significant chapter in our journey, one which has seen Everton Football Club begin a new era at Hill Dickinson Stadium while our commitment to the Liverpool City Region continues to be felt in communities across Merseyside through our life-changing impact.
Change brings opportunity, and the move to a new stadium provides us with an exciting platform from which to continue developing our work, strengthen our partnerships and reach even more people who need our support.
Whilst Goodison Park will continue to serve Merseyside as a community asset through our community operations, we will continue to expand on our provision by strengthening the services of our existing EitC campus.
We will continue to work alongside local authorities and health care providers to extend the services that our purpose-built mental health and wellbeing hub to create a neighbourhood health model which serves Liverpool 4 and further afield.
Over the road, our communities will continue to have access to key education resources, from the Digital Skills Lab which will celebrate its five-year anniversary next year, to the newly developed Creative Media Suite, providing our region with access to media resources to expand their skills and develop confidence and self-esteem.
Looking ahead, our five-year Trinity Project will remain at the heart of our ambitions. Through EitC Learns, EitC Minds and EitC Thrives, we will continue to tackle some of the most deep-rooted challenges facing communities across the Liverpool City Region, while responding to emerging needs and creating opportunities for people to build brighter futures.
We know that the landscape around us continues to change. Financial pressures, inequality, poverty, poor mental health and barriers to education and employment are placing increasing demands on communities and the organisations supporting them. This makes our role more important than ever.
None of this would be possible without our incredible staff, volunteers, participants, partners, donors and supporters. Together, we have built something truly special.
The next chapter is only just the beginning, and I am incredibly excited about what we can achieve together.
If you’d like to support the development and sustainability of
our work, you can donate to our cause here.
Everton in the Community, Goodison Park, Goodison Road, Liverpool, L4 4EL.
Registered Charity No: 1099366.
Built with Shorthand