Community joy for the Pilgrims

Boston United's community section has been named as the best in the National League's three divisions.
Members of United's community team celebrate.Members of United's community team celebrate.
Members of United's community team celebrate.

The Pilgrims and their United in the Community offshoot scooped the Best Community Programme award at the end-of-season awards ceremony at the weekend - just one of a series of accolades bestowed upon the Jakemans Stadium side.

As well as their community title, Dayle Southwell and Carl Piergianni were voted into the National League North’s Team of the Season by their peers.

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Piergianni was named the National League’s Player of the Season and Southwell also ended the campaign as the joint leading scorer.

On top of that, club secretary Craig Singleton collected the Best Matchday Programme title for the fifth year running and the club also claimed the Best Health Project title for their Active Pilgrims work, which offers affordable sporting opportunities for adults in the borough.

But the community accolade - which judges deemed the best from all 68 National League clubs - is the one which brought the greatest pride to United.

United vice-chairman Neil Kempster, the director responsible for the club’s community activities, told bufc.co.uk: “It is a proud moment for Boston United and United in the Community.

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“We won the title in our own division in 2012, but to win the award across all three divisions this time is extra special and a testament to all the work that goes on behind-the-scenes on a daily basis.

“I would like to pay tribute to the staff and volunteers involved in delivering our many and varied activities and we look forward to taking our community work to an even greater level going forward.”

United in the Community includes coaching in schools, the Boston United Sports College (including full-time education programme), elite and grassroots football coaching for boys and girls, the club’s youth team, the under 21s side, walking football for the over 50s, cheerleading, inclusive sport for people with poor mental health and disabilities, health and physical activity programmes including badminton, cycling, health walks, netball, basketball and fitness classes, skills, training and employment programmes and mascot experiences.