Dorset Football Association has been successfully shortlisted for the Partnership Award at the County FA Recognition Awards 2024 for its Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance Charity Partnership.

The Awards, which will be announced at Wembley Stadium connected by EE on Thursday 7 November 2024, recognise and endorse the best projects, products and services delivered by County FAs over the past season while sharing best practice and learnings from around the country.

Over 225 nominations have been entered from the 50 County FAs operating across England, highlighting exceptional delivery and showcasing how they are innovating to improve grassroots football and increase participation across all levels of the game. 

The 12 categories which will be recognised at the awards are: 

• Brand Engagement
• Coach Development
• Employee Wellbeing & Engagement
• Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
• Facility Development
• Football Development
• Partnership
• Positive Football Environment
• Referee Development
• Special recognition
• Women & Girls
• Youth Engagement

Dorset FA has made the final shortlist for the Partnership Award for the partnership with Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA). We collaborated with DSAA in the 2021/22 season, following the backing from the Board of Directors and an internal voting process. 

We wanted to ensure that the partnership would not only increase the awareness of the charity to the football community, but also increase the number of supporters of the charity and help raise funds each season. The DSAA provides a vital service to Dorset and Somerset, which is essential in such a rural landscape. 

Dorset FA CEO, Roger Vaughan, said: “I am delighted that the County FA has been recognised for the partnership we have developed with the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. Having such a worthy and important charity as one of our partners is something the staff and board of directors are rightly proud of.”

The FA’s Head of Operations for Grassroots Football, Tim Foster, added: “I’d like to congratulate Dorset FA in making the final shortlist for the Partnership Award. We’ve had some outstanding submissions this year, once again highlighting the crucial role County FAs play in their local communities, ensuring accessible opportunities across all football formats and creating a fun and safe environment for all. We look forward to celebrating the achievements of our County FAs at Wembley Stadium in November and thanking everyone involved for their efforts across the season.”