EFL Community Heroes celebrated Bristol City FC

As part of the annual EFL Community Weekend Bristol City has nominated five Community Heroes across the club and Robins Foundation.

This campaign spotlights everyday heroes working, volunteering, and participating in the community. All individuals have demonstrated a commitment to helping and inspiring others, improving lives, and strengthening community cohesion across Bristol and beyond. 

Community Weekends is a key moment in the season where all 72 clubs across the EFL celebrate the impact that clubs and their Community Heroes have on people’s lives. 

City’s nominations are Maddie Phillips, Paul Trivett, Gary Bell from the Robins Foundation, Matt Parsons from Bristol City and Stuart Rogers from the Bristol City Supporters Club and Trust. 

As part of the Community Weekends campaign, we will celebrate the nominees on Friday, February 21st as City take on Middlesbrough at Ashton Gate. Nominees will be interviewed pitchside at half-time and presented with a commemorative pennant. 

City will also warm up in EFL Community Weekend shirts. 

Maddie Phillips

Maddie Phillips is a vital part of the Robins Foundation, having been involved for the last 11 years. She began as a participant at the Robins Foundation football sessions, becoming a volunteer and then a paid member of staff across multiple projects. 

Maddie leaves a positive impact on everyone she works with. Her hard work and dedication have made her the brilliant individual she is today. We hope her journey with the Robins Foundation will continue for many years to come. 

Phillips said: “My favourite part about working in the community is that no matter where I am, there are always other staff members and volunteers stood there with a smile on their face.”

Paul Trivett

Paul Trivett has been with the Foundation for more than six years. Starting – like Maddie – as a participant, Paul became a powerful volunteer: a confident leader in the group. Paul has since amassed more than 500 hours of volunteering over the last two years. 

He is a role model for hundreds of young people within his community and has become a truly remarkable young person. The Foundation are grateful to Paul for all of his work and are excited to see his potential. 

Trivett said: “I have been doing work in the community with the Bristol City Robins Foundation for the past four years. In the future, I can see myself continuing to work in the Foundation because it is something I enjoy.”

Gary Bell

Gary Bell is the Disability Lead Coach at the Robins Foundation. Starting with the Foundation’s education program, Gary became a community coach and then went into his current role. 

His impact on the lives of young people is constant. He is an integral member of the community, providing children, young people and adults with disabilities with the opportunities to engage in sport positively, in a safe and welcoming environment. His positive impact will have lasting effects across the community as it has done for the past 10 years. 

Bell said: “My favourite thing about working at the Robins Foundation is seeing the positive changes within the participants which we work with.”

Matt Parsons

Matt Parsons is City Men’s First Team Operations Manager. Hearing his job title may sound far from the community and volunteering, but Matt has made it his mission to take surplus food to homeless shelters on away games. 

On average, he and the first team staff and players over the past five years, have delivered around 50 meals to homeless shelters each away match. This equates to more than 5,500 meals. 

This straightforward act is impactful and easily replicable, so could have positive effects across football. Matt’s long-term goal is for other clubs to follow in their footsteps. 

Parsons said: “Without the help of the team around me this nomination wouldn’t happen. If everyone gives a little, a little becomes a lot.”

Stuart Rogers

The Bristol City Supporters Club and Trust has and will have a lasting impact on the community through their funding of the new Sensory Room in the stadium. 

This facility, available and staffed for all men’s and women’s matchdays, will enable supporters with sensory needs to continue to support Bristol City. Stuart Rogers, is a representative, accepting the award on behalf of the whole Supporters Club and Trust, as their chair. 

This provision enables the generation of new and existing Bristol City fans to enjoy live football with their families, which they previously may not have been able. 

Rogers said: “We are proud sponsors of this sensory room, widening the community of Bristol City supporters. It makes the difference between fans being able to experience a live football match and not.”