The Entain Foundation and the Trident Leagues —The Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues of the English football league system, at Steps three and four—announced Thursday the launch of the Pitching In Volunteer Hub, a new online portal set to become a one-stop-shop to connect football fans and potential volunteers. The Hub has been created for all 248 clubs that make up the Trident Leagues, at Steps three and four of the English National League System.
It provides a simple web-based interface through which clubs are able to post volunteer vacancies, while fans can search for available opportunities either at a specific club or based on their location. The hub also enables prospective volunteers to proactively offer their services to clubs and register their skills. In addition to providing the platform, Entain will promote volunteering through its network of community-based Ladbrokes and Coral betting shops.
“Contributions made by volunteers are the lifeblood of community football,” Entain said in a statement. “From matchday activities such as manning the turnstiles, stewarding and catering, through to pitch maintenance, ground upkeep or providing administrative and professional support, there are many areas where volunteers play a vital role in ensuring their local clubs continue to thrive.“
When it comes to football, clubs are powered by the communities around them. ⚽
That’s why, today, we’re launching the @pitchingin_ Volunteer Hub, where grassroots clubs can connect with their local fans with their teams and help out where needed. 🤝 https://t.co/BYgxYWz949
— Entain (@EntainGroup) May 19, 2022
The hub is fronted by Pitching In ambassador Stuart Pearce, who commented on the launch in an official press release and said: “This is a fantastic initiative that will be a real gamechanger for promoting volunteering at the community level. I know from my time at Wealdstone just how important volunteers are to local clubs.”
“Equally, it can be a hugely positive and rewarding experience for those that volunteer, I encourage anyone to give it a go and find out for themselves. Pitching In has been unbelievable for non-league football, providing finance at every level for the Trident Leagues. So many people have benefited from this great investment from Entain,” he added.
Pitching In partners with the Trident Leagues as a groundbreaking grassroots sports investment fund backed by Entain. In addition, Entain is also the founding partner of the Trident Community Fund, which enables the Leagues’ clubs to apply for funding for a broad range of community engagement projects.
Entain’s Director of Corporate Affairs Grainne Hurst added: “As the name suggests, our ambition for Pitching In when we partnered with the Trident Leagues was not just to provide financial backing but to bring communities together and encourage everyone to play a part. The Volunteer Hub makes it easier than ever for fans to pitch in and help out their local club.”
In a joint statement, Pitching In Southern League vice-chairman Anthony Hughes, Pitching In Isthmian League chairman Nick Robinson and Pitching In Northern Premier League chairman Mark Harris said: “We are really excited about the development of the Pitching In Volunteer Hub as part of the tremendous support received from Entain. Volunteers are vital to the running of our clubs we want to welcome as many as possible to play an active part in their Clubs and their communities.”