Richard Luscombe We are proud to recognise four outstanding local community members to become our EFL Community Heroes for 2025.
All four individuals have gone above and beyond for our community and are vital to the work we provide to help improve lives across Plymouth, Devon, and Cornwall.
We invited Faye Hardie, Donna Lawson, Michael Chapman and Scott McCann to Home Park to celebrate and recognise their wonderful contributions to our local community.
Our Community Heroes were each presented a personalised Plymouth Argyle shirt by first team players Ryan Hardie, Conor Hazard, Nathanael Ogbeta, and Head Coach Miron Muslić.
Community Heroes show how the power of football makes a real difference to people in their communities through innovative programmes and initiatives that are inspiring and impacting communities across England and Wales.
This incredible work contributes to a significant social impact across all regions, which helps to ease the burden on local NHS and statutory services.
Often seen at Manadon Sports Hub, Faye is an outstanding member of staff who goes above and beyond in her role.
“Faye always has the needs of the community at the forefront of her thoughts when working across our many sessions”, said the Trust’s Facilities Operation Manager, Nick Loannidou.
“She has developed strong relationships with our community and is now a fully inducted member of the Wellbeing Cafe chatterboxes club.
“Her dedication to developing this area of our work is inspiring, and is the reason that she is always my first choice when looking at growing this area of work
“I am incredibly proud to have her representing both my team and ACT as a whole.”
Speaking on Babcock’s Donna Lawson, Head of Business Development Dwain Morgan said: “Donna is a worthy recipient of an EFL Community Heroes 2025 award.”
“She works tirelessly to advocate the charitable work of Argyle Community Trust and so often goes above and beyond to support us in raising awareness and funding to help us grow our outreach.
“She is always the first to volunteer at community events and has played a pivotal part in our annual Xmas hamper appeal and our community football festival for several years.
Donna has introduced the charity to local and national businesses, helping us to secure additional donations and in-kind support.”
“Mike has been an integral part of the Project 35 larder delivery throughout the last calendar year and amassed over 120 volunteering hours”, said Trevor Higgins.
“His dedication to the cause has been invaluable for the project. He will always go the extra mile for the customer, often signposting our most vulnerable to the correct support through, quite often, his own life experience.
“The recognition of Mike by the Trust is fantastic and is a just reward for him being a real upstanding and crucial volunteer to maintain the key values at Argyle Community Trust.”
Scott McCann’s journey with Argyle Community Trust has seen him take on numerous roles, each contributing to the organisation’s impact.
His most significant role is within the Community Programmes Team, where he is dedicated to delivering community outreach initiatives, particularly the PL Kicks programme.
Through this initiative, he provides young people aged 8-18 with free access to sports activities whilst creating additional opportunities to support their employability and personal development.
Beyond his core responsibilities, Scott goes the extra mile by organising a football team of young males to compete in local league football weekly, fostering skill development and a sense of belonging.
He is always the first to volunteer his time, attending countless trips and tournaments – often traveling long distances – to give young people life-altering experiences.
“Scott is an integral member of our team and a credit to our Community Programmes operations”, said Community Programmes Manager Alice Young.
“Scott’s ability to connect with young people is exceptional, matched by his dedication to their growth and success. His genuine care for their development and well-being is evident in everything he does.
“Scott’s approachable nature and ability to build strong connections have been instrumental in the success of PL Kicks. For many young people across the city, he is not just a mentor but a role model and a trusted figure in their lives”.
All year, clubs and their club charities, Trusts, and Foundations run programmes in the community to support people’s health, happiness, social connections, education and economic prospects.
More than ever, football clubs are called upon to provide life-changing support to fans and local people, transcending far beyond the pitch – more than one million people engaged in EFL Club community work last season.
