A WREXHAM-based football club has recently won a national award for the work it does to promote equality, diversity and inclusion.

Established by Delwyn Derrick in 2016, Bellevue Football Club currently play in the North East Wales Championship Division.

Since forming, the club has gone from strength to strength and has become a vital cog in the community - providing opportunities for refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable people to integrate.

On Thursday, June 6, an award ceremony was held by the Welsh Sports Association in Cardiff to celebrate the best in Wales’ sport and leisure industry - and Bellevue FC were among the winners.

The club was awarded the title of the 'Best in Wales for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion'.

Bellevue FC were able to bat off stiff competition from national organisations Tennis Wales and The Outdoor Partnership to take the award.

TOP STORIES

Taking to the stage and accepting the award on behalf of the club were secretary Sam Mullins and Bellevue founder Delwyn.

He said: “my ambition is to be unemployed, because all clubs in Wales should be better at equality, inclusion and diversity. It should be the norm, and not the exception.”

Bellevue Chairman Craig Colville said: “For such a young club we have achieved so much already- it’s great to see how what we do on the pitch and at the club has been recognised many times over by our peers.”

The award was shared with the Bellevue Family at the Bellevue FC Awards night, held at Ty Pawb The award was shared with the Bellevue Family at the Bellevue FC Awards night, held at Ty Pawb (Image: Bellevue FC)

The award was then shared with the Bellevue Family at the Bellevue FC Awards night, held at Ty Pawb.

Bellevue FC is run by volunteers for the benefit of the community and is a multi-ethnic and inclusion specific football team.

Almost all of its players on the men's team are from perceived adverse backgrounds, including refugees, asylum seekers, economic migrants, people with learning difficulties, people with mental health issues and people with minor disabilities.

The club also runs a women's team and four junior teams; U10’s, U11’s,U12’s and U13’s