Brentford FC has achieved Family Excellence Gold Award status for the 2019/20 season, once again confirming its place as one of the best days out in football. This is the third year in a row that The Bees have been handed the Family Excellence Gold Award, reflecting the Club’s continued commitment to attracting and engaging families and young fans. During what became an unprecedented season for EFL football, the scheme recognises that family engagement continued to thrive in 2019/20, despite supporters being unable to attend live fixtures for the final part of the campaign.

Each EFL club received one or two ‘mystery family’ visits last season, prior to the Covid-19 outbreak that prevented fans attending games at the end of the campaign, to assess a range of criteria and confirm which clubs achieve the prestigious ‘Family Excellence’ status. The Club has strived to continually improve the service and engagement levels available for youngsters and families, and we are proud that this work has been recognised as part of the Family Excellence programme. Based on the assessors’ feedback, Brentford is one of just ten EFL Clubs to achieve a Family Excellence Gold Award for the 2019/20 season, in recognition for an exceptional family matchday experience provided across the two Club visits.

We received great feedback across the two visits, the second of which was held close to the cessation of football, particularly with regard to  how families feel valued and the high quality of staff engagement and friendliness. We were rated as nine out of ten for the first impression given to families on both visits and given the top rating on the first visit for activity outside the ground and in the walk to the stadium. Our overall rating was the same as the club that came second in the Championship and fourth overall, highlighting how well Brentford FC caters for families.

Jon Varney, Brentford FC Chief Executive Officer, said: “This is excellent news and everyone at the Club is delighted. To be joint-fourth in the country and joint-second in the Championship is great recognition and I would like to thank all our hard-working staff that have made this possible. We have another big challenge in front of us our new stadium when we hope to enhance our offering for families even further.

“This award will help us to attract even more families and it will also demonstrate to the wider community, as well as our current and potential commercial partners, our commitment in this area. It also underlines the Club’s overall direction. We want to provide attractive, affordable football and a great place at our new home for families.”

Families were able to make some special memories during our last season at Griffin Park. Young fans could read out the team line-ups before kick-off and meet players in both our Club Shop and Bee Block, in our Family Area. Supporters could write messages for the team and one family was able to deliver a postcard to the dressing room before the game.

EFL CEO, David Baldwin said, “It is fantastic to see the continued dedication of EFL clubs to provide an exceptional matchday experience for families when attending fixtures across the League. I would like to congratulate all those that have achieved Family Excellence status for the 2019/20 season and Luton Town, Peterborough United and Plymouth Argyle for their respective awards, setting a consistently high standard for family engagement.

“We know nothing beats the joy of watching a live fixture and the EFL and its Clubs look forward to welcoming the return of fans to stadia, when it is safe to do so. Up until the Covid pandemic outbreak it is clear from the evidence gathered throughout the Family Excellence Scheme, that young fans and families were experiencing a high standard of matchday experience across the League. It is testament to Clubs’ hard work that the standard of experience offered to families continues to rise, and this will undoubtedly help to ensure a welcoming environment will be provided for all families, once we are able to return to stadia.”