FVH AWARDS
Nominations are now closed and the awards ceremony will be held on 24th February 2023 at the National Football Museum, Manchester with an evening of music and entertainment, which will kick off with the awards show.
We will celebrate the hard work of clubs and individuals in the following categories:
- Professional Club, sponsored by EFL
- Non-League Club
- Grassroots Club
- Supporters Group
- English County Football Association, sponsored by The FA
- Women’s Game
- Football v Homophobia Hero
- Football Media
- FvH Cymru
- Football v Homophobia Scotland
- International Award, sponsored by Fare
Professional Club Award
SPONSORED BY:
The Professional Game Award recognises professional football clubs who have shown dedication to improving the landscape of football for LGBTIQ+ people and who have worked to create better inclusion and participation of LGBTIQ+ people over the past year. We want to see clubs nominated who have tried to integrate LGBTIQ+ inclusion into the foundations of the club. Professional clubs could have, for example;
- Publicly supported LGBTIQ+ people at games, on social media channels or through work with players or fans
- Worked with internal staff or players to help them gain a better understanding of the issues around LGBTIQ+ inclusion in football
- Taken part in the Month of Action, Trans Week of Action, Rainbow Laces or engaged in other similar campaigns
- Engaged with or supported an LGBTIQ+ supporter’s group
- Worked with LGBTIQ+ communities through a foundation
Non-League Club Award
The Non-League Club Award has been designed to celebrate the achievements of clubs within the National League System, in relation to their work on LGBTIQ+ inclusion in football. The award will be made to a Non-League Club which has gone above and beyond to tackle issues of exclusion in the game over the past year. Non-League Clubs could have, for example:
- Worked internally to make the club more inclusive for LGBTIQ+ people
- Publicly supported the inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people
- Implemented training for staff, volunteers and players
- Taken part in the Month of Action, Trans Week of Action, Rainbow Laces or engaged in other similar campaigns/charities
- Worked with the community to promote a better understanding of the issues faced by LGBTIQ+ people in football, or worked on greater inclusion of LGBTIQ+ people within the club
Grassroots Club Award
The Grassroots Club Award is for any Grassroots club which has excelled at making itself a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ people. We are looking to see nominations for Grassroots clubs who have publicly taken a stand against LGBTIQ+phobia and actively worked to make their club inclusive over the past year. Grassroots clubs could have:
- Worked within the club to actively promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and tackle LGBTIQ+phobia
- Run internal club campaigns and engaged with the Month of Action, Trans Week of Action, Rainbow Laces or similar campaigns, to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and tackle LGBTQ+ phobia
- Worked with players, coaches, parents/spectators and/or committee members to promote LGBTIQ+ inclusion and tackle LGBTIQ+phobia
- Worked with LGBTIQ+ organisations/community to increase understanding of issues faced by LGBTIQ+ people within football and to reduce barriers to participation
Supporters' Group Award
For this award, we are looking for nominees who have worked to make professional football inclusive of LGBTIQ+ fans over the past year. This award is open to all football supporters groups and we welcome applications from across the fan movement. For example, supporters groups could have:
- Taken part in the Month of Action, Trans Week of Action, Rainbow Laces or other similar campaigns
- Worked with their club to give a voice to LGBTIQ+ fans and make positive changes to the experience of LGBTQ+ supporters
- Worked to give LGBTIQ+ people confidence to attend matches and re-engage LGBTQ+ fans who may have stopped attending
- Created strong alliances with other fan groups and initiated dialogue amongst fans on LGBTIQ+ inclusion.
FvH Cymru Award
The FvH Cymru Award is for an individual or a club in Wales who has worked to make Welsh football more inclusive of LGBTIQ+ people over the past year. Nominees are welcome from any level and aspect of the Welsh game. Nominees for this award may have:
- Worked to create LGBTIQ+ inclusive football spaces in Wales
- Worked to tackle LGBTIQ+phobia in the Welsh game
- Taken part in the Month of Action, Trans Week of Action, Rainbow Laces or engaged in other similar campaigns/charities
- Used their platform to speak out against LGBTIQ+phobia
County FA Award
SPONSORED BY:
The County FA Award recognises the important contribution English County FAs make to increasing LGBTQ+ inclusion, as well as addressing LGBTIQ+phobia within their area. This award is open for nominations for English County FAs who, for example, may have:
- Provided support to LGBTIQ+ clubs or LGBTQ+ football activity within their county
- Embedded LGBTIQ+ inclusion across the organisation, including within decision making
- Undertaken training or education in relation to LGBTIQ+ inclusion
- Ensured LGBTIQ+ inclusive communications across social media, website and public communications, as well as sharing messages about tackling LGBTIQ+phobia and discrimination to clubs and leagues.
- Engaged with the Month of Action, Trans Week of Action, Rainbow Laces or other LGBTIQ+ campaigns
- Engaged local LGBTIQ+ groups and consulted with the community to understand the issues LGBTIQ+ people face in football and increasing access to participation
- Dealt positively and proactively with cases of discrimination
Football v Homophobia Hero Award
SPONSORED BY:
The Football v Homophobia Hero Award goes to an individual in England, Wales or Scotland who has shown dedication and passion for improving football, by fighting LGBTIQ+phobia and promoting better inclusion for LGBTIQ+ people, making the beautiful game, a game for everyone! This individual could be nominated for one extraordinary piece of work, or for consistent work over a period of time at any level of football. The Football v Homophobia Hero should be someone who, for example:
- Consistently demonstrates their passion, skills and knowledge in football and in the issues facing the LGBTQ+ community
- Works in an innovative and sustainable way to improve football for LGBTIQ+ people
- Has the support of their peers
- Is a role model and inspires those around them to fight LGBTIQ+phobia and create more inclusive spaces in the game.
Women's Game Award
SPONSORED BY:
The Women’s Game Award is for an individual or a club in England, Wales or Scotland who has worked to make the women’s game more inclusive of LGBTQ+ people in the UK over the past year. Nominees are welcome from any level and aspect of the women’s game. Nominees for this award may have:
- Opened women’s teams to trans and non-binary players
- Worked to create LGBTIQ+ inclusive women’s football spaces
- Worked to tackle LGBTIQ+phobia in the women’s game
- Taken part in the Month of Action, Trans Week of Action, Rainbow Laces or engaged in other similar campaigns/charities
- Used their platform to speak out against LGBTIQ+phobia
Football v Homophobia Scotland Award
The Football vs Homophobia Scotland Award is for any individual, group or club who has made a difference to LGBTIQ+ inclusion in Scottish football. We are looking for nominations from any individual, group or club that have made an impact within their own communities. Nominees this award may have;
- Spearheaded LGBTIQ+ inclusion initiatives within their football community.
- Has acted as an exceptional role model within Scottish football.
- Taken part in the Month of Action, Trans Week of Action, Rainbow Laces or engaged in other similar campaigns.
- Worked with LGBTIQ+ community to reduce barriers to participation.
International Award
SPONSORED BY:
The International Award is for a football stakeholder; any organisation big or small that has delivered exceptional work over the past 12 months to make football a better place for LGBTQ+ people. Whether it’s enabling LGBTQ+ people to get involved in the game, using football as a tool to create positive outcomes for LGBTQ+ communities, or educating young people in football environments, our winner will:
- Have centred the experience of LGBTQ+ people or one LGBTQ+ group in particular
- Be able to describe the need for their work
- Quantify the impact of their work in its local context
Football Media Award
New for this year, the football media award will go to a football journalist or media outlet which has worked respectfully and inclusively in relation to LGBTQ+ people in football. In particular, the judges are looking for those who:
- Amplified the voices/profile of LGBTQ+ people in football
- Challenged assumptions about LGBTQ+ people’s place in football
- Investigated the impact of football on LGBTQ+ people/communities
- Celebrated the contribution of LGBTQ+ people to football
FvH Award Sponsor
