Blackpool FC Community Trust name Community Captain to help mark the Premier League’s 30th-anniversary celebrations
Bradley Bayliss, 24-years-old, has been named as Blackpool FC Community Trust’s Community Captain in recognition of his incredible work in the local area, supporting BFCCT’s Community Engagement team to deliver a host of provision, including Walking Football, Sporting Memories and PL Kicks.
Before Coronavirus put a stop to our face-to-face sessions, Bradley Bayliss, volunteered on a range of our Community Engagement programmes, including our Armed Forces programmes to help past service men and women to socialise and find support. He also helped at Sporting Memories, which is for people living with Dementia and other memory related illnesses.
Brad has also taken part in numerous fundraising events to raise funds for Blackpool FC Community Trust and the Blackpool Carers Centre. In October 2019, Brad was part of a team that raised over £2200, by running 150 miles, coast to coast from Scarborough to Blackpool.
During the pandemic, Brad was a valued volunteer at Blackpool Football Club Community Trust and was at the forefront, supporting individuals through weekly phone calls and garden gate visits in order to help tackle loneliness. Brad also delivered online social groups, which enabled individuals who were lonely and isolated to come online, socially interact with other participants and take part in several different activities, such as quizzes, bingo, and family fortunes.
Throughout all of this, Brad continued to study at Blackpool FC Sports College and obtained his BTEC in Sport qualifications and, most recently, completed his BSc Honours in Community Football Coaching, Development and Administration.
Since starting his journey with Blackpool FC Community Trust, Brad has completed around 1,700 hours of volunteering and is now working with the PL Kicks team, as well as picking up some casual hours with the Community Engagement Team.
The Community Captain accolade is being given to more than 100 members of the public who have made an outstanding contribution to their club and local community, as part of the Premier League’s 30th anniversary celebrations.
Brad received the accolade, consisting of a PL30 Community Captain armband, exclusive pennant, and a Trophy Tour plaque at Blackpool FC’s Stadium.
Ashley Hackett, BFCCT CEO, who presented Brad Community Captain award, said: “ Brad has always been a huge Blackpool FC fan and over the years he has been involved with us he has voluntarily given up over 1000 hours of his time to help others and is a great example for young people to follow. Brad completed his education through our own sports college, gaining BTEC qualifications and a degree, and has now progressed on to paid work within our community programmes department. We are proud to have been involved in Brads development so far and we are all looking forward to seeing him flourish in the future.”
Our Community Captain, Brad, said: “I feel very privileged to receive the Community Captain Award, as I feel I have worked hard throughout my time at the Community Trust, and it has been great to support members of my local community. I’m looking forward to the exciting times ahead as it’s a great organisation to work for.
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “As we mark 30 years since the Premier League first kicked off, it is important we celebrate the unsung heroes who deliver brilliant work in their communities. These people – whether they are participants, coaches, volunteers, or long-time employees – are the lifeblood of their clubs and their communities.
“The continued success of Premier League football enables us to provide unprecedented investment in communities and wider football. As we look to the future, we are committed to investing more than ever, to help develop the game and provide opportunities to people of all ages.”
During the Trophy Tour, the League will be announcing new financial commitments to benefit fans and communities. This includes increased investment into the Premier League Fans’ Fund, with £5m available to support fan engagement projects across the top four divisions of the football pyramid. The League is also investing an additional £13.5 million into the Football Foundation to create small-sided pitches in the heart of communities that need them the most. The tour will also give an opportunity to highlight new Premier League investment into women’s and girls’ football, including the Emerging Talent Centres announced earlier this summer, of which Blackpool is one.
To find out more, please visit premierleague.com.
For more information on the Premier League Trophy Tour please contact: PL30@freuds.com