Pitching In Volunteer of the Month

The 16-year-old has been named the latest Pitching In Volunteer of the Month having been nominated by the Seasiders’ Programme Editor and Photographer Dom Taylor for his vital services in the club’s media team.

Edwards is planning for a career in media and communications after shadowing his father from the tender age of six, writing match reports for the Bridlington Free Press.

And the former Bridlington Town ball boy was honoured his efforts were recognised by Taylor, who couldn’t speak highly enough of the teenager’s contribution in his second season at the club.

Taylor said: “Ben’s a great lad, has really done the club proud and does a fantastic match report. He is in his last year at school, looking to go to university.

“We just hope he can find somewhere local because he would leave some very big boots to fill if he was to leave.”

And Edwards reacted: “It’s brilliant to be nominated because there are a lot of volunteers that could have been nominated for the award from our club. I’m very proud.

“Dom was doing what I do now and he was doing a brilliant job but he was also doing the programme and the photography.

“I thought if I could come in and take a bit of the pressure off Dom, and in the process raise the standards of how the club looks from the outside, that would be brilliant.”

The Headlands School sixth-form student is one of a valued band of volunteers at Queensgate and opportunities across the league for potential newcomers are now available to search for on a Volunteer Hub launched by league partners Pitching In.

Edwards used to run out for Bridlington’s junior sides when he was younger and while he couldn’t quite make the cut for the seniors, becoming acquainted with the first team is a fine replacement.

Edwards said: “My favourite thing is probably the interaction you get with the players and the staff.

“They’re very good at interacting with fans anyway but you just get that bit extra when you’re actually involved as a volunteer.

“I thought it would just be a case of turn up, take photos of the warm-up, put the team up, do the match updates, but every game brings its own challenges.

“Like say the game gets abandoned, or there’s a serious injury – it’s about how to deal with that in the right way.”

Find volunteering opportunities at your local club by visiting https://pitchinginvolunteers.co.uk/