New Year's Honour For Brentford FC Community Trust Head
Lee Doyle leads club's educational activities and community coaching
Lee Doyle "His inspirational leadership and can-do attitude are admired by all". Picture: Brentford FC
January 5, 2024
The chief executive of Brentford FC Community Sports Trust has had his work recognised in the New Year’s honours list.
Lee Doyle has been given the British Empire Medal (BEM) for his services to sport and the community in Brentford and the London Borough of Hounslow.
He has worked for the Trust for over 35 years during which time it has grown from a relatively small operation with just a handful of people working for it to its current position of having over 150 staff plus an army of volunteers who now help deliver more than 13,000 community sessions each year. Under Lee Doyle’s leadership the Trust has won the Football League Community Club of the Year award four times.
He said, “It has been an amazing journey, full of inspiring characters, dedicated to realising the potential of people and places, and there is much more to come.
“The creative feature of working in sport and community development means there is always the next challenge and new partnership to build.
"With our fantastic Stadium Hub and adjacent Parklife base at Gunnersbury Park, reaching out to many other community settings, supported by the Premier League, PFA, and partner funding, we are increasing our work in mental and physical wellbeing, training and employability.
“With the club and Trust being committed to an innovative, inclusive approach in every part of what we do, I am proud to be a Bee.”
Ian Dobie, chair of trustees at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, said, “When Lee started his work with Brentford, he was one of two coaches delivering football coaching to the young people in the community.
“Fast forward 35 years and Lee has built an organisation with 156 staff, who have delivered 13,479 sessions for 12,235 local people in the last year.
"Using the power of sport, the Trust now delivers a range of programmes in education, employability, sports participation, disabilities, health, and community engagement.
“In the past year alone the Trust has delivered a social impact value of £70 million. After a lifetime dedicated to the community, there is no one more deserving of this honour.”
Cliff Crown, Brentford FC chair, said, “We are absolutely delighted for Lee. It has been a privilege to watch him lead the Trust and to see what has been achieved over the last 35 years.
“His inspirational leadership and can-do attitude are admired by all who come into contact with him.
“He is a very worthy recipient of this honour. It is fully deserved. Congratulations, Lee.”
Ruth Cadbury, MP for Brentford and Isleworth said, "I was so pleased that Brentford FC Community Sports Trust CEO Lee Doyle was awarded a BEM in the New Year Honours. He and I first met in the late eighties when we organised holiday activities for teenagers on Brentford’s Haverfield estate. He was one of only 2 coaches at Brentford FC running community activities then."
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