A huge thank you is being shared amongst local football volunteers as part of our new volunteer recognition campaign, #EssexFootballThanks, which aims to ensure grassroots heroes receive well-deserved appreciation and gratitude.

We're inviting anyone to make an #EssexFootballThanks nomination via this online form at any time, and short profiles of these local volunteers will then be shared on social media. The goal is to highlight their efforts and to inspire new faces to get involved with the grassroots game in a variety of voluntary roles.

#EssexFootballThanks replaces the popular #CelebrateEssex hashtag as our key volunteer recognition campaign. Nominees will also be entered into a regular prize draw to win tickets to an event with a local community partner, which could include:

* two Southend United, Dagenham & Redbridge or West Ham Women home match tickets
* taster membership with Topgolf in Chigwell (including two free games) 
* pair of tickets to an Essex Rebels basketball home game in Colchester
* two tickets to an Essex Cricket home County Championship or One Day Cup fixture
* introductory Nuffield Health complimentary pass

Lana Gillard, Essex County FA Football Development Officer, is looking forward to the arrival of the first nominations: “Without volunteers, football at grassroots level simply wouldn’t exist. Volunteer recruitment and retention was amongst the top priorities from grassroots football stakeholders during the consultation for our new #MovingForward 2028 Strategy.”

“We’re proud to celebrate the priceless contributions of so many individuals, who enable thousands of matches to take place every week across Essex. #EssexFootballThanks is another opportunity for us to shine a light on local grassroots heroes and to remind them that their efforts are valued, hopefully inspiring new faces to come forward and get involved, too. We’d like to thank our #EssexFootballThanks partners, and invite more to join us!”

Why not make your #EssexFootballThanks nomination today via this online form? You can also keep up-to-date with the campaign, and find out how to get involved as a new volunteer, via our social media accounts.