All 72 EFL clubs have been recognised for their collective response to the Covid-19 pandemic by being named as the recipients of the You Gov Community Project of the Year Award at the 2021 EFL Community Awards. The award was announced yesterday, Wednesday 28 April, during a virtual ceremony. The remainder of the EFL Awards 2021 will be announced this evening during an event broadcast live on Sky Sports.

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, shutting down all aspects of society, including bringing football to a halt en masse for the first time since the Second World War, clubs came together as a force for good, and were among the first to respond to the needs of local communities across England and Wales. Clubs and their club community organisations (CCOs) adapted their outreach programmes in line with Government guidance and restrictions, to ensure the safe continuation of their incredible work. It’s work which has provided a lifeline for so many, helping to keep people healthy, active and connected since the outbreak of coronavirus.

From Cardiff to Carlisle and Bristol to Blackpool, clubs and CCOs continued to provide vital support to some of the country’s most vulnerable people. This award is testament to the fantastic work the network has done in responding to the needs of their communities during the global pandemic. Over the past year EFL clubs and community schemes have:

This award showcases the collective and individual responses made to the challenges of the pandemic and demonstrates the fantastic work the network has done in responding to the needs of their communities during what has been an incredibly difficult period for everyone. It was one of ten prizes handed out yesterday. The regional winners for the Community Club of the Year prize and the divisional recipients of the Community Player of the Year award were congratulated. Read more here.

Our response to the pandemic was coordinated by Brentford FC Community Sports Trust. Their work, including the #BeeAtHome and #BeeWell initiatives, kept residents active and healthy when they were asked to stay at home. The Trust's website can be found here.

The 2021 EFL Awards will be held tonight, Thursday, 29 April, and broadcast live from 7:30pm on Sky Sports Football. Brentford striker Ivan Toney is one of three players in the running for the Sky Bet Championship Player of the Year prize, along with Norwich City pair Emi Buendía and Teemu Pukki. Read more here.