Entain Plc has been recognised for its grassroots support by bagging the Grassroots Initiative of the Year award for its “Pitching In” campaign.

The directive was formed in 2020 as a founding charter of Entain as a FTSE100 enterprise,  and has since become the title sponsor of the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues, collectively the Trident Leagues – comprising a total of 264 clubs.

Throughout the years, Pitching In has also grown to become an important component for building engagement between the football clubs and their local communities through Entain’s Trident Community Fund (TCF).

In its first year, the Pitching In initiative provided over £1 million in funding to support non-league and grassroots football clubs. This included an initial £150,000 donation to the newly formed TCF in December 2020, offering vital support to clubs and communities during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund allows each club to apply for a grant of up to £5,000 every year that can then be reinvested into building up community projects such as youth-focused initiatives, food banks, women’s football, and tackling anti-social behaviours.

Furthermore, Pitching In allows local fans to be closer to their teams through its Volunteer Hub, launched in 2022, which serves as an online portal for clubs to post open volunteering vacancies.

Stella David, Entain CEO, commented: “We are delighted to see Pitching In recognised in this manner. Football is central to our business, which is why we feel it is so important to invest in the sport at the grassroots level, playing our part in bringing clubs and their communities closer together. 

“When we started this project back in 2020, non-league clubs – and English football more generally – were staring into an uncertain future amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We would like to thank the Northern Premier League, Isthmian League and Southern League for their continued support, along with every single volunteer who gives up their time for their local football club. 

“The game at this level could not run without you and Pitching In will continue to do what we can to highlight your invaluable contributions.”

Pitching In received the distinction at the Global Football Industry Awards show, which also included nominations from McDonalds, Barclays, Adidas, Nike, and Coca-Cola.