SPONSORED BY TRL GROUP
COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS
FINALIST
STEP FORWARD TEES VALLEY
Triumph – MFC Foundation head Lynsey Edwards is presented with the Community Champions award by Steve Smith , managing director of category sponsors TRL Group .
WINNER
MIDDLESBROUGH FC
Whatever happens on the field for Middlesbrough FC , community engagement off it is guaranteed thanks to the club ’ s official charity arm , the MFC Foundation .
And it ’ s exactly that sort of involvement that earned it the Community Champions prize at the inaugural Tees Business Awards , attended by around 380 people at Hardwick Hall .
Organised by Tees Business in association with headline sponsor PD Ports , the awards ceremony was a memorable event – particularly for the winners of the 11 categories .
The night produced a notable hat-trick for Boro , who also clinched the Unsung Hero and Diversity categories .
And head of foundation Lyndsey Edwards was delighted to be one of the first Tees Business Awards winners – and , indeed , the first announced on the night .
She said : “ It ’ s huge for us to be the first winner . We ’ re in year 26 of being a foundation and we just want to cement that legacy and hopefully this will help with that .”
Asked what might have clinched it for the foundation , she said : “ The fact the club and foundation work in partnership across the whole of Teesside , and the fact we can give so many people of all ages and interests an opportunity to get involved . “ It ’ s a diverse offering and we ’ re there for the whole community .” Working with 8,000 people per week , the foundation ’ s 30 programmes are delivered across four key themes – education and employability , social inclusion , health and wellbeing and sport .
And underpinning it all is a determination to harness the passion and power of the football club to raise aspirations and improve the life chances of people across Teesside .
Sadly , not long after the awards , Boro ’ s promotion dreams were dashed by defeat in the play-off semi-final against Coventry City .
But Lyndsey stressed : “ We ’ re in a really good place and the foundation will just help continuing to support the club and hopefully to go on to be the best we can be .”
SPONSOR ’ S MESSAGE
TRL managing director Steve Smith said : “ Sponsoring the Community Champions category was a proud moment for everyone at TRL . As a business that ’ s genuinely proud of our roots here on Teesside , it seemed appropriate to celebrate those who go out of their way to make our region an even better place to work and live . There ’ s clearly no better standard-bearer for doing just that than our local football club , so congratulations to Middlesbrough FC .”
Step Forward Tees Valley supports people to overcome barriers to work or training so they can move forward with their lives . Based in Darlington but with hubs across the Tees Valley , it works with partners to help unemployed people overcome a variety of barriers and get them closer to work and training .
Since 2016 , it has supported 4,500 unemployed and economically inactive people from some of the hardest-hit communities , providing support with health and wellbeing , digital skills , financial and benefits advice , mental health , work experience , qualifications and employability skills .
FINALIST
CONTEMPORARY COMMUNITY CHOIRS
With two choirs in Great Ayton , one in Yarm and one in Ingleby Barwick , the choirs promote community spirit , help mental health and have attracted 150 members since September 2021 .
Some members live alone , some have mental health issues and some , sadly , have long-term illnesses , or home and family issues . But for one hour a week , worries are left at the door as they walk into a room that started off full of strangers but is now full of friends . It has also raised almost £ 4,000 for charity so far .
FINALIST BETTER
Middlesbrough-based global brand agency Better ’ s “ small but mighty ” team shares a passion for making the Tees region a better place to live , learn and work .
From an annual commitment of more than £ 30,000 worth of pro bono support for the likes of Daisy Chain , Our Hospitals Charity and the Teesside Charity , to ongoing partnerships with community organisations , Better believes supporting the local community is one of its major responsibilities . MD Mark Easby also chairs the High Tide Foundation , which delivers meaningful work experience and career programmes to young people .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 51