Club skipper Darren Pratley accepted accolade on behalf of winger at recent home game against Hull City
Liam Feeney has been awarded the PFA Community Champions accolade for Bolton Wanderers during the 2015/16 season.
Feeney, who is currently on loan at fellow Sky Bet Championship outfit Ipswich Town, attended ten community appearances including schools, community groups, hospitals and youth centres with one highlight of the year being when the winger attended PL Kicks at the Castle Hill Young Persons Centre last November.
Two different sessions take place at the Castle Hill Youth Centre, the first of which involves the nationwide Premier League Kicks initiative – a project which works with young people aged between 12 and 18 and aims to offer regular sporting sessions to channel energies into positive activities.
Last year, the Community Trust engaged with more than 750 young people through their Kicks programme with nearly 150 of these being female while nationally, PL Kicks worked with 52,867 young people throughout the duration of 2014.
The second session which took place on the evening was Bolton Wanderers Youth Club which is aimed at young people in the care system and is currently run in partnership with Bolton Council and funded by Children In Need and the BIG Lottery Fund.
Aiming to offer a range of activities and experiences for young people who otherwise may not get the opportunity, this session also works closely with the most vulnerable young people to enhance their confidence, social skills, comfort in group situations and understanding of peer-to-peer relationships.
Speaking following confirmation of his success, Feeney said, “It’s a real honour to be given an award like this - as players, we know that it’s always so important to give something back to the local community.
“I’ve always enjoyed getting out and about into the areas of clubs that I’ve played for and during my time at Bolton, it’s been great for me to see the result of hard work across the town which we represent out there on the football pitch.”
Pictured above is club captain Darren Pratley receiving the award on behalf of his teammate from Chief Executive Dean Holdsworth and Head of the Community Trust Phil Mason at the club's final home game of the season against Hull City last weekend.
Echoing Feeney’s sentiments, Holdsworth added: “The work of the Community Trust is vital to both the club and community.
“We are proud of the work that is taking place out in the community and the impact it is having on people’s lives.
“It is so important that our players support this work and Liam has been a great ambassador for this work during this past season.”