The Everton in the Community Showcase returned to Finch Farm this week, with first-team manager David Moyes and his squad spending the afternoon discovering more about the inspirational work of the Club’s official charity.
Now in its seventh year, the Showcase gives the Blues stars the chance to get hands-on with some of the charity’s flagship programmes and meet the participants whose lives are being transformed by its work.
The event kicked off the excitement ahead of EitC’s Community Day at Hill Dickinson Stadium this weekend.
This year’s Showcase shone a spotlight on four of the charity’s 60-plus life-changing programmes, including Tackling the Blues and Stand Together, both of which are funded by the Premier League and Professional Footballers’ Association.
Blues Stars Tackle Mental Health and Isolation
Participants from Tackling the Blues, which supports children and young people facing mental health challenges, got stuck into a wellbeing obstacle course with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Seamus Coleman, and other squad members.
Together, they reflected on signs of worry and anxiety and discussed athletes who have spoken openly about their own struggles.
Meanwhile, James Tarkowski and Vitalii Mykolenko put their backgammon moves to the test when they joined older participants from the Stand Together programme.
This twice-weekly initiative supports anyone aged 65 or over who may be experiencing loneliness or social isolation through a range of table-top games, including chess, draughts, and dominoes.
Breaking Barriers and Building Resilience
Michael Keane and Dwight McNeil found out more about the Premier League Inspires programme, which supports secondary school pupils facing educational barriers.
The players took part in mini team challenges designed to build confidence, resilience, and communication skills, including a coding activity and an active literacy task.
Finally, Jordan Pickford and Idrissa Gueye joined participants from the Interventions programme for energetic activities like a giant gutter ball challenge.
Funded by Merseyside Police, Interventions provides targeted support for young people who are disengaged from education or at risk of exploitation or criminal involvement.
Reflecting on the special afternoon, EitC CEO Sue Gregory spoke about the energy at Finch Farm:
“What a brilliant afternoon bringing everyone together at Finch Farm and seeing our manager and first-team players getting stuck in alongside our staff and participants.
“The smiles, laughter and energy throughout the day have been wonderful, and it’s been a joy to see everyone enjoying themselves so much.
“I’d like to thank the manager and players for giving up their time so generously.
“The difference they make to our participants is remarkable, creating memories they will treasure and helping to shine a spotlight on the impactful work we do across Liverpool.”
Driving Social Change Across Merseyside
Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall echoed these sentiments, noting how important it was to see the impact of the charity first-hand.
Established in 1988, Everton in the Community has been delivering life-changing and life-saving provision to those most in need across the Liverpool City Region for 38 years.
The charity will be the focus of the matchday theme for the home Premier League fixture with Chelsea this weekend.
By harnessing the unifying power of football, the organisation continues to drive social change and address the most pressing societal challenges across the region.
