EAST RIDING FA MORE THAN JUST FOOTBALL AWARD

The East Riding FA More Than Just Football Award is awarded quarterly and celebrates the clubs, leagues and volunteers who are doing extraordinary things. They set the bar high and do more than just football.

The winner of the latest More Than Just Football Award is South Cave Sporting FC.

South Cave Sporting FC is a club with 28 affiliated teams and over 400 registered players. The club boasts a helpful network of players, coaches, club officials and supporters and they use that network to support the wider community in and around the village of South Cave.

Every grassroots football club will have been touched by the cost-of-living crisis with many providing support away from the green of the football field.

During December 2022 South Cave Sporting ran an extremely successful foodbank collection in aid of East Yorkshire Food bank. Spearheaded by Club Chairman Lee Murphy and inspired by a sense of responsibility the club recognised that a number of the club’s players were at risk of going hungry whilst also acknowledging that the club’s network could be put to good use for the benefit of the wider community.

With the club keen to inspire their younger members to help others Lee was inundated with offers of help with ImageData Group also coming onboard to assist. Players assisted with the distribution of leaflets and the collection of food parcels whilst club officials arranged pick up points and deliveries.

In total the club managed to collect over 2500 individual items which were distributed to people in South Cave and East Riding.

During this time the club suffered incredible heartbreak when youth players Mason Clarkson and Tom Dennett and club founder Norman Elliot MBE sadly passed away. These tragedies would go on to affect everyone at the club.

The sense of community and the kinship that comes with being part of a club plus the support of coaches and club officials has helped them get through this difficult period and the effects will be felt for a long time to come.

Club Chairman Lee Murphy though is proud of how the club has responded to his call for help and for the way they have responded to the sad loss.

Chris Johnson, Participation and Communication Officer at East Riding FA said; First and foremost, South Cave Sporting are a club which puts the player at the centre of everything they do. The club is supported by a fantastic group of volunteers who put so much time and effort into grassroots football. The fact they find time to help the wider community whilst also dealing with such devastating tragedy demonstrates the strength of the club and the importance of having such a strong group of dedicated volunteers and players.”

South Cave Sporting Club will now receive a nomination at the 2023 Grassroots Football Awards.

If you know a club, league or individual that deserves recognition then please click here and nominate them for an East Riding FA Award.