Berks & Bucks Football Association (FA) has landed the Brand Engagement Award at the inaugural County FA Recognition Awards for its BBFA Juniors project.

The Awards were introduced this year to recognise and endorse the best projects, products and services launched by County FAs over the past season while sharing best practice and learnings from around the country.

From the 50 County FAs operating across England, 39 of them entered over 150 submissions, highlighting continuous improvements and showcasing how they are innovating to improve football and increase participation across all levels of the game. 

The eight categories recognised on the night were: 

• Brand Engagement
• Digital Engagement
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Football Development
• Insight & Data
• Partnership
• Women & Girls
• Special Recognition.

Berks & Bucks FA was handed the Brand Engagement Award for our BBFA Juniors project; the development of a junior membership/awareness programme which delivers key safeguarding and RESPECT information direct to registered U7-U11 youth players.

The programme follows the adventures of a cartoon football team called BBFA Juniors and is presented in comic strip format. Received via post, young players and their parents can follow the journey of best friends and joint captains 'BB & Faye' as they progress through the football season; seeing how they tackle and overcome common safeguarding and respect issues as they encounter them.

Berks & Bucks FA, Chief Executive Liz Verrall, said: "It was an honour to receive this recognition and I’m proud of the hard work our entire team puts in towards improving the level of football and increasing participation across the region. Hopefully we can continue to build on this for many years to come."

FA Chief Executive Martin Glenn, added: "It gives us great pleasure to recognise and reward our County FAs. The work they do in their local communities to inspire a lifelong journey in football are absolutely vital in ensuring we continue to develop, promote and protect the game. 

"It’s testament to their work that we now have the highest number of boys playing affiliated football recorded to date, and we are well on track to deliver on our ambition to double participation in the female game."

Find out more about the BBFA Juniors project

For more information on the work of County FAs, visit www.TheFA.com