On Sunday 4th August, local volunteer, Paul Rimmer attended the 2019 FA & McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards national ceremony, held at the home of football, Wembley Stadium connected by EE, to collect his award after being named winner of the prestigious The Bobby Moore award.

The FA & McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards recognise and celebrate the tireless volunteers who dedicate so much time to the grassroots game. The awards are now in their tenth year and Paul joins a long list of inspirational grassroots football heroes who marched down Wembley way to collect their coveted awards.

Paul was nominated for the incredible work he does at Liverpool Homeless Football Club (LHFC) and the difference he has made to the homeless men and women playing at the club. Paul started his work at LHFC by volunteering with asylum seekers and refugees, making a huge effort to get to know them on a personal level and going above and beyond what was expected of him to support them. 

Through the power of football and his own past experiences with drug and alcohol use, Paul is able to offer incredible personal support to the players, who look up to him as a role model. He is patient, caring and respectful of every player and every story, giving time to offer extra emotional support whenever it is required. His positive attitude doesn’t just set an example but is infectious, tangibly improving the lives of those around him. Paul Rimmer is an extremely deserving winner of  The Bobby Moore Award this year.

Paul accepted his award from football legend Sir Bobby Moore’s wife, Stephanie, ahead of The FA Community Shield, supported by McDonald’s, which saw Premier League and Emirates FA Cup champions Manchester City defeat Champions League winners Liverpool. During the half time break, Paul joined World Cup hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst on the pitch in front of 77,000 fans.

“I have been involved with the Grassroots Awards since the beginning and the stories of the winners never fail to impress me. Paul should be extremely proud of his work and grassroots football in Liverpool is a much better place with Paul a part of it,” said McDonald’s ambassador Sir Geoff Hurst. “The English game is in a very good place at the moment with the Three Lions boasting a number of young and talented players, while the Lionesses have enjoyed a superb World Cup in France. Our national teams simply wouldn’t be in this place without the hard work of our grassroots volunteers – every player has to start somewhere. It was a pleasure to meet Paul and I hope he continues his extraordinary commitment to football for many years to come.”

Local McDonald’s franchisee Tony Higdon, who is an avid supporter of grassroots football in Liverpool, said: “It’s an honour to recognise Paul and the amazing work he does in the grassroots community. Paul’s commitment to improving the lives of homeless people in the city through football is inspiring and I hope he’s proud of this achievement.  I’ve been supporting grassroots football in Liverpool for many years, and stories like Paul’s really highlight the difference people like him make in the local community.”

Having worked with The FA over the past 17 years, McDonald’s is the longest-standing supporter of grassroots football in the UK. Through this partnership, McDonald’s continues to champion the tireless volunteers who dedicate countless hours to provide enjoyable football to children and young adults regardless of age, gender or disability. 

In addition to championing volunteers, McDonald’s has committed to providing over 5 million hours of fun football to 5-11 year-olds and giving 500,000 children the chance to play football for the first time by 2022 through Fun Football Centres and other initiatives across the UK.

For further information on how to get involved in McDonald’s Fun Football initiative visit  www.mcdonalds.co.uk/funfootball   

To find out more about all of the 2019 FA and McDonald’s Grassroots Football Award winners, visit www.thefa.com/get-involved/grassroots-football-awards/winners