Published: 17 Nov 2025

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who made the 2025 Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation Dinner so special with over £30,000 raised to continue our life-changing work.

The annual showpiece, once more held in the Legends Lounge at the Riverside Stadium, saw businesses and Friends of the Foundation celebrate our ongoing efforts across the communities of Teesside, on an evening where emotions were never far from the surface.

Kindly sponsored, for the fifth year running, by Vistech Services, a sold-out room heard moving and earnest stories from participants and staff on how the Foundation is truly making a difference to the lives of local people. Guests were then asked to vote for one of the three nominated Programmes of the Year:

  • Switch It, an initiative working to ease the transition between primary and secondary school (funded by Middlesbrough Council)
  • Parkinson's Football, providing a safe space for those with Parkinson's to engage physically and socially (funded by the EFL in the Community)
  • Bright Lights, an employability scheme for young people aged 18-24, which has seen a 90% success rate (in partnership with British Land and Teesside Park)

In a tight affair, the room voted Parkinson's Football as our 2025 Programme of the Year, and two more awards were presented to other deserving winners. 

Going from a participant on our Think With Your Feet programme, which focuses on improving men's mental health, to securing permanent employment with the Foundation, Billy Llewellyn was named Participant of the Year for his remarkable journey.

And, new for 2025, the Alan Peacock Award for inspiration, presented by Alan's daughter Diane Symington and grandson Harry, went to Betty Sheekey. Betty was given a 50/50 chance of survival upon her diagnosis for jaw cancer, but, after coming through surgery, she continues to inspire staff and her fellow participants at our Chairobics sessions at St. Barnabas Church Hall with her new and improved mobility.

As an independent charity, all fundraising goes directly into impacting the communities of Teesside and, from the silent auction, envelope draw and live auction, the generosity of the room saw monies raised surpass the £30,000 mark.

Thank you to everyone who made the event so memorable. To event sponsors Vistech, drink sponsors Pearl Safety, programme sponsor Nanny Bears, photographer Tom Banks, musician Jake Mason, entertainment providers AR Entertainment, band Flat Back 4, and of course the wonderful hospitality staff at MFC.