The latest category of our #CelebrateEssex Twitter competition is highlighting the ‘Footie Mums’ whose unpaid efforts make the local grassroots game tick, with nominations being collected until Friday 11th March.

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

March is the month of the ‘Footie Mum’ category. A Footie Mum could be due a special mention for the support they offer their son or daughter before, during or after a game in any number of ways. They could help to make sure their ‘star player’ gets to training safely, enjoys participating in matches and is supported to do their best, providing encouragement… win, lose or draw.

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.

This month’s category has been specifically scheduled to coincide with International Women’s Day on Tuesday 8th March, as well as Mother’s Day on Sunday 27th March. International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Future months will feature: April: Treasurer, May: Secretary, June: Chairperson.

Last year’s winner was Dee Weare from Weare United FC. She reacted: “To be honest, I've been around football for a very long time and, as of late, I've been fighting Cancer. The distraction of games, and the overwhelming support of the footballing community, have truly got me through a difficult time. Football, to me, is more than just a game. We are a huge family.”

Stage One: Make Your Nomination on Twitter

If you know a ‘Footie Mum’ who you think should receive some special thanks, anyone can make a nomination by tweeting (by 11th March):

“I nominate [Insert Name and/or Twitter Username] from [Insert Club/Team or Twitter Username] as @EssexCountyFA #CelebrateEssex Footie Mum 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

International Women’s Day (Tuesday 8th March)
Females Making a Positive Difference

International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women's achievements or rally for women's equality.

The campaign theme for 2022 is #BreakTheBias. Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Action is needed to level the playing field. To find out more, visit the website and check out our #MovingForward Strategy 2024 targets for female football here.