Community stars rewarded at BACT’S annual celebration
BURTON Albion Community Trust (BACT) has celebrated another year of achievement at its annual awards night.
The 2022 Star Awards were held at Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium, with VIP guests including Burton MP Kate Kniveton, The Mayor of East Staffordshire Phil Hudson, and the Lord-lieutenant of Staffordshire Ian Dudson.
Burton Albion chairman Ben Robinson MBE DL welcomed everyone. He said: “As long as I can remember, Burton Albion has been a football club that has positioned itself at the heart of the community, using the power of sport to help others and offering our support wherever we could.
“With the formation of our charity 12 years ago, we were able to greatly increase what we were able to do, and that has grown year-on-year as the latest impact report released on Monday has so visibly demonstrated.
“We have achieved all of that by working with a host of partners. I want to thank all of them, they deserve congratulations as well for the important part they have played.” As reported in the Burton Mail yesterday, a Special Recognition Award went to retiring BACT chairman John Jackson, who was named Honorary President of Burton Albion FC. John received his award from the Lord-lieutenant, who said: “He has devoted his life to voluntary activities, including being an active magistrate for 25 years, and I’m delighted to make this presentation to him.” Phil Pusey, the new chairman of
BACT, said: “I have big shoes to fill with John Jackson retiring. But I’m excited to take on this role as I believe in this organisation’s ability to make a difference every day and to make an even bigger impact in the future. The partnerships are wide ranging, strong and productive, with the key relationship being with the football club.”
Brewers manager Dino Maamria presented the Employee of the Year
Award. He said: “It’s really moving watching the videos at the awards and seeing the happy faces of all the children and adults, and we feel the responsibility of supporting that work.
“The first thing I learned when I came to the football club was the importance of community, and that starts from the top with the chairman and goes all through the club.”
The evening was hosted by Reece Brown and John Widdowson. It was John’s final night at Burton Albion Community Trust after nine years as he leaves to become head of community at Wrexham AFC.
Matt Hancock, head of community, said: “John is the epitome of what BACT has been all about – developing people. He has been instrumental in leading the organisation through difficult periods, especially Covid. And we are really proud that he’s going on to be a head of community.”
Burton Albion has been a football club that has positioned itself at the heart of the community.
Ben Robinson