James Tarkowski honoured with prestigious award from Everton in the Community

Everton vice-captain James Tarkowski has been honoured for his commitment to Everton in the Community, and has been crowned Everton’s PFA Community Champion for the 2025/26 season. 

The Toffees centre back was presented with the award in recognition of his consistent and passionate support for the Club’s official charity. 

Previously named Community Champion in 2023/24, Tarkowski is an official ambassador of EitC’s partnership with the Steve Morgan Foundation, helping to raise awareness of the charity’s delivery of the ‘Steve Morgan Community Impact Model’.  

This season, he has welcomed the opportunity to be involved with several of the charity’s life-changing initiatives, including welcoming EitC participant Sam to Finch Farm to mark World Mental Health Day and taking part in the seventh Everton in the Community Showcase.

During this year’s Showcase, Tarkowski and his teammates joined older participants from EitC’s Stand Together programme for a range of table-top games, including chess, cards, draughts and dominoes.

He recently visited The People’s Hub alongside the headteacher of his former primary school, Peter Stewart, to see first-hand how the charity and its innovative community campus support the local community and beyond.

Speaking about the PFA Community Champion Award, the longstanding Blues player said: “It’s always a pleasure to support Everton in the Community, and I’m incredibly honoured to receive this award.

“Everton is renowned for its work in the L4 community and wider Liverpool City Region and as players it’s brilliant to be able to see the difference the charity makes to local people and hear their stories for ourselves.”

Everton in the Community works alongside the Professional Footballers’ Association to empower and support players to make a difference through the charity’s life-saving work across Merseyside.

Presenting Tarkowski with his award was the charity’s CEO, Sue Gregory who said:

“James has shown true support for our charity, connecting with the people directly impacted by our life-changing initiatives and taking a genuine interest in their lives.

“Handing James this award is just a small token of our gratitude for his dedication to EitC, as well as that of his teammates.

Everton in the Community provides regular support to over 30,000 participants through its unique programme and best in class delivery.

Established in 1988, the charity strives to ‘build stronger communities and create brighter futures’ with the charity’s projects supporting people of all ages, genders, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Support the work of Everton in the Community here.

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