Brentford FC Community Sports Trust was awarded silver in the Best COVID-19 Community Response – Non-Premier League category – at the Football Business Awards last month.

Clubs from across the UK football pyramid joined sponsors, partners, community schemes and businesses to celebrate exceptional work in the game across 26 categories at a lunchtime ceremony at The Brewery in London on 23 September.

Attended by over 350 leading football industry executives, the awards are considered the industry’s foremost accolade, attracting hundreds of entries every year from both the business units within football clubs and those professional services and businesses dedicated to supporting clubs and the game itself.

Brentford FC, partnered with Brentford FC CST, were shortlisted alongside Rangers Charity Foundation, Port Vale Foundation Trust, Notts County FC, Dons Local Action Group with AFC Wimbledon Foundation, Derby County FC Community Trust, Bristol Rovers FC and Ashton Gate Stadium – Bristol City FC.

The Trust and Club reached out to the Football Business Awards with our #BeeAtHome and #BeeWell campaigns, which encouraged both children and adults to stay active at home and look after their mental wellbeing.

Working with local company PizzaSi, pizzas were delivered to families in need of a Christmas treat last December. The Club and Trust also supported the NHS and South Western Railway with their campaigns on how to stay safe and worked with directors, players, staff and fans to raise money and increase donations for Hounslow Community FoodBox. Brentford staff and directors checked in on fans throughout lockdown and found innovative ways to allow supporters to say their goodbyes to Griffin Park and ‘be there’ for those special last moments even when games were behind closed doors. At our new stadium, fan engagement ideas continue with Virtual Mascots, Buzz at Your Door and more.

Jon Varney, Brentford FC Chief Executive who was named Championship CEO of the year at the same event, said: “Our Community Sports Trust is one of the best in the country and this award underlines that; Lee Doyle and his team do an absolutely phenomenal job. As a Club, we are proud to be at the heart of our community – we always have been and always will be. The last 18 months have proved the power of football is stronger than ever, providing respite and a way for people to connect in the most challenging of circumstances.”

To find out more about the 2021 Football Business Awards, click here.