Port Vale Foundation’s community work in Stoke-on-Trent and the wider region is at the very heart of the club’s identity and purpose.

Community work isn’t a nice to have for the Port Vale FC family, it is the bedrock on which everything else is built. Visit the club and that sense of family and community is palpable.

Over the last season, the club’s 150^th anniversary year, the Foundation engaged with 5,927 people in a range of projects spanning community cohesion, education and wellbeing. 91% said their lives have been changed in a positive way as a result including improvements to their physical activity, mental wellbeing and personal development.

Despite operating in an area facing significant social challenges Port Vale Foundation has consistently delivered measurable, life-changing impact and proved the power of a football club to act as a catalyst for lasting social change.

Projects include Every Girl Does Count, which champions girls and young women across Stoke‑on‑Trent. Many young women in Stoke-on-Trent face limited opportunities, low confidence and a lack of safe, inspiring spaces to grow. Designed for ages 12 to 19, the project responds directly to local need and has had a positive impact.

Forget Me Knot FC was set up to give dads who have lost a child a place to connect The project was featured on ITV’s This Morning and received thousands of messages of support.

At the start of 2025 Port Vale FC Foundation launched a partnership with a local alternative provision to create a wrap‑around programme for young people permanently excluded from mainstream education. Designed as an 18‑week curriculum rooted in real‑world learning, the project brings learners directly into the heart of the football club and offers hands‑on experience across media, the academy, grounds, security and Foundation departments. This immersive model gives students a tangible understanding of the many careers within a professional sports environment while reinforcing behaviour expectations and personal development.

32 young people with complex needs have taken part, with an impressive 90% attendance rate. The programme’s impact has been remarkable: 67% of participants have successfully transitioned back into mainstream education, the highest reintegration rate in the West Midlands. Several learners have also progressed into paid matchday roles, gaining employment through their community club and building confidence, stability and purpose.

The success of the initiative has led to collaboration with three additional schools, expanding its reach and ensuring long‑term sustainability. This project demonstrates how a football club can drive meaningful social change using its environment, expertise and identity to transform the futures of local young people.

Port Vale Foundation has entered the Business in the Community category of University of Staffordshire Business Awards.