Everton in the Community launches ‘Forever’ campaign to support Liverpool 4

Everton in the Community is reaffirming its commitment to the area surrounding Goodison Park with a new campaign, Forever, highlighting the charity’s current and future provision in Liverpool 4.

Forever aims to reinforce the club’s long-standing presence in L4 and showcase the life-saving work of Everton in the Community, ensuring Everton’s legacy endures in the community for years to come.

For more than 130 years, Everton Football Club has called Goodison Park and L4, home.

Nestled amongst its fellow residents and overlooking the green landscape of Stanley Park, its location will forever hold countless memories for all Evertonians lucky enough to grace the Grand Old Lady.

L4 will have a permanent place in the hearts of every Evertonian whilst the charity’s latest campaign will ensure the Club’s presence in L4 will be felt forever in equal measure through the pioneering work of Everton in the Community.

Since 1988, the Club’s official charity has stood proudly alongside the football club at the heart of its community, looking after and supporting those who need it most. 

The 2024/25 season will see Everton Football Club play its football in Liverpool 4 for the last time but Everton in the Community will remain in the area long after the lights go out at Goodison and the last ball has been kicked, continuing to bring hope, unity and brighter futures for many years to come.

Each year, the Club’s official charity supports tens of thousands of individuals from across the Liverpool City Region through its 60+ projects and initiatives.

The majority of its work, however, takes place in the Kirkdale and County wards of North Liverpool which are in the most deprived 1% of neighbourhoods nationally, and located a stone’s throw away from Goodison Park.

A third of children are living in an absolute low income households and the area has a life expectancy six years less than the national average. The ward of Kirkdale also has high levels of deprivation in the indices of income, employment, education, health and disability, crime and living environment. 

The last 10 years has seen the Club’s charitable arm invest more than £13million in the regeneration of the area surrounding Goodison Park and restored pride in the area with new buildings designed to meet the ever-growing needs of the community including The Blue Base, The People’s Hub and the Premier League’s first mental health and wellbeing hub, The People’s Place.

In addition to this, Everton in the Community has opened the region’s first Digital Skills Lab to tackle digital deprivation in the area as well as providing young adults at risk of homelessness with a roof over their head through its fan-funded ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ project.

The charity is also responsible for delivering early intervention and support to young people via its home from home 41 Goodison programme.

And in May 2022, the charity launched its Blue Base Pantry to combat food insecurity within Liverpool 4 following the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis. The member-run food pantry has provided more than 40,500 local residents and participants with access to high-quality discounted food in the last two years as well as providing access to key wraparound support services such as guidance on benefits, welfare and housing support, health screenings and a fortnightly jobs fair.

Sue Gregory, Chief Executive Officer for Everton in the Community, said:

“Imagining Liverpool 4 without Everton Football Club stirs up a lot of emotions in everyone but as the Club’s charitable arm, we have a responsibility to the local area and its people and will be remaining anchored here, continuing to build stronger communities and brighter futures for many years to come.

“We are acutely aware that Liverpool City Region is facing ever-growing issues relating to poverty, unemployment and health deprivations and these issues are exacerbated in the north of the city. With the launch of our ‘forever’ campaign and outlining our commitment to the Liverpool 4 community, we are ensuring that Everton remains in the heart of this area once football has moved to the waterfront.

“We will be continuing to work closely with Everton Football Club on plans around the community-led legacy project at Goodison Park and ensuring, where possible, that we are tackling the inequalities which exist in the borough as well as addressing housing issues.”

In a bid to tackle these challenges, Everton in the Community launched the Trinity Project; an ambitious five-year strategy that outlines its bold vision for the future with a renewed focus on delivering even greater social impact and making a lasting difference to the lives of those it serves. The Trinity Project is underpinned by three key areas; improving mental health services for all, breaking down barriers and expanding access to learning for all as well as empowering individuals to reach their full potential.

To find out more about Forever from Everton in the Community click here.

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