Preston North End and Preston North End Community Education Trust have been shortlisted for a total of five awards at the 2021 North West Football Awards.
Both Ryan Ledson and Sepp van den Berg are up for awards in the player categories, with Ryan shortlisted for the Championship Player of the Season award while Sepp has been nominated for the Rising Star of the Season accolade.
You can still vote for both players for their awards by clicking here, with voting closing at 5pm on Friday 15th October.
Away from the pitch, the club has been recognised for the 2021/22 season card campaign, 'It's Time To Come Home', which has been shortlisted for in the category for Best Club Marketing, Sponsorship or Engagement Campaign.
The campaign focused on the connection between the football club and the supporters, highlighting the difficulties supporters faced during the Covid-19 pandemic when supporters were unable to attend.
The campaign focused on the importance of that relationship between the club and the local community, this was showcased through the campaign video which featured only those who had been directly impacted by the positive work of the club and PNECET in the local area.
The Preston North End Community and Education Trust has also been named as a finalist in two categories at this year's North West Football Awards.
The first nomination is for the ‘Community Club of the Season – All Other Leagues’ category, alongside five fellow EFL clubs, an award the Trust won for the first time last year.
The club’s official charity continues to enjoy year-on-year growth, with its full-time workforce increasing to 25, engagements in the local community rising to 13,000, and investment into the community exceeding £1.1 million – all highest-ever figures.
Among the Trust’s wide-ranging successes outlined in its award application were its increased work with local high schools on its Secondary School Education programme, its innovative approach to the Tackling Loneliness Together programme to support elderly and isolated members of the community during the pandemic, and the improved integration with the local Muslim community, through various initiatives delivered to celebrate to Eid and Ramadan with local residents.
In the ‘Kick It Out Promoting Inclusion’ category, the Trust’s Together As One anti-racism education programme has also been named as a finalist.
Together As One was founded in October last year alongside Windrush Initiatives founder Adrian Murrell, bringing communities together while working in harmony and improving people’s understanding of racial issues in society.
The programme has been delivered across primary schools in Preston with great success, gaining recognition from the EFL Trust upon launch and attracting local media coverage from ITV Granada, when Daniel Johnson joined a lesson with Barton St Lawrence pupils in a virtual capacity, last year.
Congratulations to all involved for being named as finalists, the winners will be announced on Monday 22nd November at an awards’ ceremony hosted by broadcaster, Dan Walker, at The Point, Emirates Old Trafford.