Everton in the Community and its staff have marked the festive period by showcasing the true spirit of Christmas with an abundance of wellbeing activities for its participants, supporters and the local community.
Christmas is a time of celebration for many, but it can also offer a poignant reminder that not everybody is lucky enough to enjoy the Christmas festivities and it is often a difficult time of year for many. Over the course of the holiday period, through donation and free and inclusive activities and events, the Club’s official charity has worked tirelessly to provide that bit of festive cheer to the members of the community who may need it more than most this Christmas.
See for yourself what the award-winning charity of Everton Football Club has provided over the past few weeks:
- Twenty young carers and their families were welcomed to the Blue Base as Everton in the Community hosted a free two-course Christmas dinner and consultation evening.
- EitC’s Premier League Kicks team ran a tournament at its PL Kicks venue in Prescot where a group of participants represented Everton alongside teams from Oldham Athletic, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers.
- Our latest People’s Picnic event hosted 80 guests from EitC programmes as well as individuals living in hostel accommodation. They were waited on by volunteer staff from the Club and charity, alongside Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, Ian Byrne and Labour MP for Liverpool Walton, Dan Carden.
- The newly formed EitC Spirit Choir performed at various events in the run up to Christmas. From the County Road Neighbourhood Watch Christmas launch to the Everton Disabled Supporters Association Christmas event. The choir also performed at the first EFC Christmas carol service in St Nick’s, at the Forever Blue event, and in front of supporters in the Fan Zone before Everton’s Carabao Cup quarter-final match.
- Five young people, aged 16-24 completed a 12-week programme around sports leadership, alongside a Level 1 Sports Leadership qualification which culminated in a ‘Santa Shootout’ fundraising event. The group hosted a Santa penalty shootout in participating schools in return for a donation for EitC’s play therapy sessions at Alder Hey. The activity raised a total of £121. More Christmas dinners were provided for 230 participants from our Pass on the Memories dementia programme over the course of two days at The Blue Base, with the Everton U18s squad attending to help wait on attendees.
- We hosted our Forever Blue Reflection event at Finch Farm with more than 150 people in attendance. The event is hosted for families who have planted Silver Birch trees in memory of lost loved ones and was supported by the Spirit Choir who gathered outside to sing some of their favourite Christmas songs as the families made their way to the trees.
- 30 young people from Everton in the Community’s NCS Youth Board donated gifts and wrapped them up for EitC participants from 41 Goodison and the Youth Zone.
- 20 elderly and socially isolated members of our community were invited to a Neighbour Christmas quiz.
- 80 young people from our Youth Zone were part of an EitC PL Kicks Christmas meal, kindly funded by Riverside Housing.
- Staff from EitC and its homelessness programme organised and provided care packages for homeless people in and around the Liverpool area.
- The Imagine Your Goals mental health football league end of season presentation and Christmas party took place at The Blue Base, bringing together participants, managers, partners, support staff and family members.
- Members of Everton Veterans Hub and Girls On Side projects came together and were provided a Christmas dinner at The Blue Base.
- 25 young people from local disability schools were invited to the People’s Hub for an EitC Christmas party, with Christmas presents donated by Slater Gordon.
- We’ve provided 40 local underprivileged young people with Christmas presents alongside County Watch.
- The fundraising team and volunteers have been out in force in the weeks leading up to Christmas, packing bags for Christmas shoppers in M&S Liverpool and Asda Huyton, raising vital funds for the charity.
- On Christmas Day, we will support Fans Supporting Foodbanks with the provision of bringing a free Christmas dinner to 80 homeless, sheltered accommodation and socially isolated neighbours in the Blue Base. All attendees receive a box of chocolates from Everton Football Club and a ‘Shoe Box Full of Love’ box full of essentials.
