EitC celebrates 35 years of life-changing work

The Royal Blue Mersey would like to say a very heartfelt, albeit belated, happy birthday to Everton in the Community (EitC), as the charity recently celebrated 35 years of life-changing work within the city of Liverpool.

From its small, humble beginnings of a converted house in the shadow of Goodison Park, the official charity of Everton has grown into an operation that delivers more than 50 programmes with 120+ dedicated staff.

During its 35 years of service to the city, EitC has scooped a number of accolades and awards, including the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2021, the highest accolade a volunteering organisation can achieve in the UK. In 2013, EitC won the ‘Big Society Award’, and has been named ‘Community Club of the Year’ five times in succession at the North West Football Awards.

200 students benefit every year from Everton Free School, which saw the Blues become the first Premier League club to open such a facility after having approval granted by the government in 2011. Everton Free School opened the following year and has a revenue of £2.4million.

Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images

But, as will be covered by a series of EitC features by Royal Blue Mersey, it is the programmes and those participants it has positively changed the lives of, that is the charity’s true crowning glory. Programmes focusing on youth engagement, mental health, physical health, education, and unemployment, have provided hope and opportunity to some of the city’s most marginalised individuals.

And with Everton’s decision to relocate its playing headquarters to Bramley Moore Dock, the Goodison Park Legacy Project will ensure that the charity remains in the heart of the Liverpool 4 community once football has moved to the waterfront. The project will continue build on the life-changing and life-saving work of EitC in and around the Liverpool 4 area.

From all at Royal Blue Mersey, happy birthday Everton in the Community and here’s to the next 35 years!