Record year sees Everton in the Community support more than 45,000 people
Melanie May | 26 February 2021 | News
Everton in the Community recorded its highest-ever annual revenue last year, enabling it to support more than 45,000 individuals and families over the past 12 months.
The record revenue of more than £5.8m for financial year 2019/20 is the official charity of Everton Football Club’s highest in its 33-year history. It is more than 20% up on the same period last year and double that of five years ago.
Despite the pandemic, the charity has continued to deliver its 40+ programmes which focus on a wide range of social issues prevalent across Merseyside such as mental health, education, homelessness, unemployment, poverty and disability.
It moved its existing programmes – delivered to more than 15,000 people annually – to virtual delivery and has also secured additional programmes to help more people once the pandemic ends.
From last March, Everton in the Community and the Club started providing assistance to struggling families in the wake of lockdown restrictions and increased social isolation.
Under the banner of ‘Blue Family’, this support has included food parcels, assistance with utility bills, physical and mental health wellbeing support, the purchase of laptops and other educational resources to more than 28,000 individuals and families – with help continuing to be provided right across the city region.
Richard Kenyon, CEO at Everton in the Community, said:
“We set ourselves an ambitious growth strategy three years ago and it is pleasing that we have been able to stay on track with this, despite such challenging circumstances. Through the incredible support of our funders, partners, the football club and our fans, we have been able to maintain all of our programmes, many of which support very vulnerable people.
“We’ve also been able to establish brand new programmes, meaning we can help even more people in the future and drive forward part of our post-pandemic recovery plan.
“From welfare calls to fans from players, Carlo Ancelotti, the Club CEO, and Chairman, to putting food on people’s tables, there’s been some amazing and very important work happening – not least by the Everton in the Community staff who are working tirelessly everyday to maintain contact and provide support to those who need it.”
The charity’s growth during 2019/20 has been possible thanks to ongoing support from existing partners including Merseyside Police and the Premier League as well as a new partnership with Steve Morgan Foundation.
Everton in the Community has also secured new funding from The Growth Company, Children in Need, Big Lottery Fund and Howard’s Way investor Phil Brown which will see the charity increase its impact on people’s lives – particularly through the promotion of positive mental health – in the years ahead. Donations from Everton supporters together with the Club’s owner and Chairman have also boosted Blue Family resources and enabled the Club and community to support tens of thousands of people in their time of need.
Looking forward, part of the charity’s post-Covid response will be The People’s Place, a purpose-built mental health facility close to Goodison Park, which received planning permission in spring 2020.
The Spellow Lane-based scheme will provide tailored support to promote positive mental health and vital services relating to suicide awareness and prevention. The charity hopes work will begin on the site this spring with the centre expected to open in mid-2022.
Advertisement
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.