Who looks after the pennies at your club or league, so the pounds look after themselves? The latest category of our #CelebrateEssex Twitter competition is highlighting the ‘Treasurers’ whose unpaid efforts make the local grassroots game tick, with nominations being collected until Thursday 28th April.

#CelebrateEssex showcases personal stories from local personalities and increases their visibility as role models, encouraging new faces to come forward. It shines a light on the crucial volunteers who keep football alive at grassroots level. Once all the nominations have been collated via the @EssexCountyFA account, a final voting stage will then identify the latest winner.

April is the month of the ‘Treasurer’ category. Treasurers play a crucial role to ensure income exceeds, or at least matches, expenditure and that adequate records are kept. They help to cover essential costs which may, sometimes, involve fundraising activities, seeking sponsorship or applying for grants. Volunteer treasurers are literally worth their weight in gold.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of grassroots football, putting in countless hours of their time so others can enjoy playing the game. Football needs more of these true heroes, but it also needs to retain and recognise those already involved. Through this regular Twitter activity, #CelebrateEssex aims to do just that, promoting ten different roles throughout the year.

May will feature the ‘Secretary’ category, while a ‘Chairperson’ will be named in June. Last year’s ‘Treasurer’ winner was Paul Brooker from Valley Green YFC. He reacted: “Some weeks require a lot of hours but, ultimately, it’s a very rewarding role, particularly when you turn-up on a Saturday or Sunday morning and you see the playing field full of kids playing with smiles on their faces.”

Stage One: Make Your Nomination on Twitter

If you know a ‘Treasurer’ who you think should receive some special thanks, anyone can make a nomination by tweeting (by 28th April):

“I nominate [Insert Name and/or Twitter Username] from [Insert Club/Team or Twitter Username] as @EssexCountyFA #CelebrateEssex Treasurer because…”

State why your nominee should be the winner and be as descriptive as you can in 280 characters! It’s important to use the #CelebrateEssex hashtag to ensure your entry is registered.

Stage Two: Nominations Reviewed

Once the window closes, all the nominations received will be collated and a panel will decide which individuals will be progressed to the Twitter poll/vote.

Stage Three: Let Voting Commence!

A Twitter poll/vote will be available at @EssexCountyFA for seven days, featuring profiles of the nominees so voters can make an informed decision on who to vote for.

Stage Four: And Our Winner Is…

The winner of the poll will be contacted to be that month’s ‘Volunteer of the Month’!

Follow the #CelebrateEssex hashtag on Twitter to keep track of the nominations! To find out more about volunteering in grassroots Essex football, browse the 'Volunteers' menu above, follow @EssexCountyFA on Twitter and search for ‘EssexFootball’ on Facebook.

#CelebrateEssex Terms and Conditions

* previous category winners are ineligible for 2021/22 voting
* irregular voting patterns could result in the suspension of a category
* Twitter’s interpretation of the vote winner, as viewed by @EssexCountyFA, is final