Is the ‘Chairperson’ at your club or league a potential award-winner? Nominations are being collected for our latest #CelebrateEssex Twitter competition category until Tuesday 7th June, highlighting the unpaid efforts which make grassroots football tick.

#CelebrateEssex shines a light on the crucial volunteers who keep football alive at local level. It showcases personal stories from Essex 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.

June is the month of the ‘Chairperson’ category. A chairperson oversees the running of a club or league, ensuring it is operating efficiently and is managed appropriately. They head-up meetings and provide leadership in all areas, such as tournaments etc. At the heart of a well-run club is an organised and passionate chairperson.

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.

Last year’s ‘Chairperson’ winner was David Bird from Academy Soccer FC, who reacted: “I naturally love football and the fact that we have our own ground, with pitches for six-year-olds up to vets, makes all the difference. I'm so proud of Shane [David’s son] in what he has instigated, which keeps me involved at the age of 73. Like most things, you only get out what you put in.”

Stage One: Make Your Nomination on Twitter

If you know a ‘Chairperson’ who you think should receive some special thanks, anyone can make a nomination by tweeting (by 7th June):

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