Partick Thistle looking for Champions

Launching Partick Thistle's community champions scheme are managing director Ian Maxwell, Cimmunity Trust chair Pauline Graham, Lianne Paterson and Andy Gibson from McDonalds

The club is asking for nominations from the community so that it can reward individual’s generosity and compassion with a unique match day experience.

Whether it’s work with local community organisations or public service workers, emergency services or armed forces (past and present), carers or charity heroes, one Community Champion per home game will be selected to have a day at the football that they will never forget.

In association with Partick Thistle Community Trust, the club is asking local charities and community groups to nominate a Community Champion, whose community spirit will be publicly recognised by Thistle. McDonalds Maryhill has agreed to sponsor the awards this season.

The Community Champion will be invited, with family and friends, to a Ladbrokes Premiership home game where they will be presented with a specially-made award in front of the crowd pre-match.

They will do a short interview pitch side with Firhill announcer, Gavin Wallace, before placing the match ball on a plinth for it to be carried on to the pitch for the start of the game. They will also feature in the programme for that game.

Thistle managing director Ian Maxwell said: “Partick Thistle is proud of its strong links with our local communities and we know the value of the work done by many unsung champions in our local area.

“There is no way we will ever be able to recognise all the great work, but hopefully, in our own small way, we can recognise, celebrate and reward these incredible individuals for all their hard work. Our thanks go to McDonalds Maryhill for their sponsorship.”

Pauline Graham, chairman of the Partick Thistle Community Trust, said: “Every day the Trust meets and deals with people who make a real difference by putting themselves out to regenerate our communities and improve the life chances and enjoyment for local people.

“We welcome the club’s willingness to introduce this scheme and are delighted to work with them to give Thistle supporters the chance to really celebrate these wonderful individuals and the work that they do.”

McDonalds Maryhill franchise owner, Andy Gibson, said: “The Community Champions scheme is an absolutely fantastic way to reward some truly deserving individuals and I am really looking forward to meeting them, hearing about their stories and seeing first-hand the difference they have made to our local area.”

If you know of someone in the Maryhill area who is deserving of being named a Partick Thistle Community Champion, then you can nominate them now by contacting the Club and requesting a nomination form which can be done by emailing [email protected], calling 0141 579 1971 (option 2) or popping into the club office.