Everton Football Club has become the first football club in the UK to receive the Diamond Quality Mark for its Payroll Giving scheme in aid of its charitable arm, Everton in the Community.

Payroll Giving is the most reliable and cost-effective means for supporters, partners and staff to donate to the Club’s official charity direct from your salary and the 2018.19 season saw more than 30 per cent of the Everton workforce – including the Everton first team and Under-23 squad - sign up to the initiative to play their part in supporting vulnerable and underprivileged individuals across the Liverpool City Region through the charity’s programmes.

Everton Football Club and Everton in the Community have been working with Charities Trust, the leading donations management organisation committed to growing charitable giving since 1987, on developing its Payroll Giving scheme and has now been officially accredited with the Diamond Quality Mark from the Organisation of Payroll Giving.

The Government supported Payroll Giving Quality Mark is a benchmarking system that recognises when an employer offers the scheme and signifies those businesses operating exceptional schemes. The Diamond Quality Mark is awarded to companies with at least 30 per cent employee participation in Payroll Giving.

By donating to Everton in the Community through Payroll Giving, donors are supporting the thousands of people in the Merseyside area who are struggling to come to terms with their health and wellbeing with all funds donated on a monthly basis going towards ‘The People’s Place’, Everton in the Community’s planned purpose-built mental health facility to support anyone in times of need.

As a member of Payroll Giving, donors are helping people access high quality mental health support whilst making a significant contribution towards breaking the stigma surrounding mental health.

Everton Football Club People Director, Kim Healey, said: “At the start of the 2018.19 season we pledged to engage 30 percent of our workforce into Everton in the Community’s Payroll Giving scheme and we are delighted to not only achieve that objective but also receive the Diamond Quality Mark in recognition of our work. Everyone at the football club knows how vitally important Everton in the Community is to the people of Liverpool and their monthly donations will go a long way to helping the charity bring The People’s Place to life.”

Everton in the Community Chief Executive Officer, Richard Kenyon, said: “I am very pleased that our Payroll Giving scheme has been such a success in its first full season of operation. The majority of our current fundraising is focussed on The People’s Place - a much needed facility in Liverpool 4 which will help provide support to anyone suffering with poor mental health - and these monthly donations will go a long way to help us reaching our fundraising target.”

Euan Imrie, Chief Operating Officer at Charities Trust, said: “We are delighted to award Everton and Everton in the Community their Diamond Award for Payroll Giving. Payroll Giving is the most reliable and cost effective means for generous supporters to donate to their favourite charities, and we’re so pleased that Everton realises the benefits – and potential of the scheme. 

“Everton is the first football club in the UK to achieve this highest level of award for Payroll Giving and it’s down to the enthusiasm and dedication of their employees.  They have a clear goal for their fundraising activities and really understand how their Payroll Giving donations can play a part in supporting this.

“Everton fully deserves this recognition for their charitable work and we look forward to continuing to work with them in promoting Payroll Giving. We’re excited to see what they can do with their scheme, also encouraging other companies and organisations to get involved over the next few years to support their very worthy projects, not to mention the countless other charities that will benefit from employee donations.” 

Payroll Giving is a smart and hassle-free way to give straight from your pay to Everton in the Community. Donations are made straight from your gross pay before tax is calculated, costing the donor less.

For more information on Everton in the Community’s Payroll Giving scheme contact Carena Duffy, Fundraising Manager on 0151 530 5260 or email carena.duffy@evertonfc.com