BURTON Albion Community Trust has celebrated a decade of transforming lives at a special event at the Pirelli Stadium.
The BACT 10-Year Anniversary Celebration was put on hold by Covid last year, with the charity arm of Burton Albion concentrating on the response to the pandemic.
But with life slowly returning to something like normal, BACT was able to welcome staff, sponsors, partners and guests to an evening looking back on its achievements and looking forward to what it can now go on to do in the future.
Main sponsors for the event were Richard Winterton Auctioneers, who were thanked by Head of Community Matt Hancock, as well the sponsors of some special awards that were handed out in special recognition of those who had significantly helped the charity to grow and thrive.
Among the special guests were the Mayor of East Staffordshire Patricia Ackroyd and The Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire Ian Dudson, as well as Burton Albion Chairman Ben Robinson, first team manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, assistant Dino Maamria and first team players John Brayford and Kane Hemmings.
The evening was hosted by Community and Partnerships Manager John Widdowson with a welcome from BACT Chairman John Jackson who said: “The charity has proved to be somewhat of a diamond.
“There’s no doubt we are making a difference in so many ways to the community we serve and I’m proud to say that more 165,000 vaccination doses have now been delivered from this site.”
Brewers Chairman Ben Robinson added: “Nelson Mandela said that sport has the power to change the world. The community trust has done an awesome job and we are immensely proud of what the charity delivers every single day.
“All the trust’s sponsors are so important and give their support, not because they see a commercial opportunity but because they see what we can do together.”
Matt Hancock said: “I’m proud every single day I come into work at Burton Albion.
“The aspiration now with our new strategy is to get even better over the next three years. It’s about growth and new opportunities and we are in a good position to do that.
“Nothing happens without the partnerships you forge and the friends you make and we have some amazing supporters.
“Seeing so many of our staff grow and develop and enjoy life that’s what I love most.
“I want to pay tribute to John Jackson who has been an inspiration to us all and we are nothing without the football club and what the Chairman has done gives us that platform to succeed.”
Matt was himself honoured with a surprise award for his role at BACT over the last 10 years and his inspirational leadership during the pandemic.
Awards handed out on the night were as follows:
Special Recognition to a trustee sponsored by RAES Ltd:
Dave Mellor
Special Recognition to a BACT partner sponsored by Raebrook
Trent and Dove
Special Recognition for service to BACT sponsored by Pirelli
Andy Taylor and Fleur Robinson
Special Recognition for a BACT Staff member sponsored by Richard Winterton Auctioneers
Matt Waters
Special Recognition to a BACT group sponsored by Palletforce
The Vaccination Centre Volunteers –
Special Recognition for BACT Leadership
Matt Hancock
Formed in August 2010 after Burton Albion’s promotion to the Football League, the trust has twice been named Midlands Community Club of the Year, has earned the Gold Investors in People Award. Gareth Southgate opened the Community Football Centre in 2018 and BACT has more recently run an NHS Vaccination Centre at the Pirelli Stadium.