Losada and O’Riley named PFA Community Champions
Midfield stars Vicky Losada and Matt O’Riley have been named as official PFA Community Champions for the 2024/25 season.
Each season the PFA awards two players from every club who have gone above and beyond to support their local community.
Both official ambassadors of the BHAFC Foundation, Vicky and Matt have have had a big community impact this season.
Matt, a new arrival to the club last summer, got stuck in straight away by becoming a community ambassador.
He helped the charity by lending his support to campaigns promoting the Foundation’s quiz nights, FPL mini-league, and World Book Day activities.
In February, Matt made a surprise visit to young people at a disability football holiday camp.
He also visited the Foundation’s Down’s syndrome football group, meeting players there and handing out free Albion kit.
Matt has also been an advocate of the charity, speaking to the media about the Foundation’s good work on multiple occasions.
Matt was delighted to be named as a PFA Community Champion.
“This is a great honour for me,” he said, “I’ve been lucky enough to meet so many amazing young players this season and they’ve all given me a great reception.
“It’s so important as a club that we support our local communities, and I’m always happy to do what I can.
“Receiving this award is fantastic, and I look forward to meeting even more local people in the future.”
Meanwhile, Vicky Losada entered her second season as a community ambassador for the Foundation.
Over the past two seasons Vicky has met with several groups of young Foundation players, giving them inspiring messages and advice.
In the summer, Vicky and fellow ambassador Pauline Bremer helped deliver training at a girls’ football group at Queen’s Park Primary School in Brighton.
Vicky has also helped the Foundation promote campaigns including the launch of their charity sweatshirt range and their Christmas bauble auction.
Promoting women and girls’ football locally is something that Vicky is passionate about.
“I think it’s important that we do as much as we can to encourage young girls to get into football,” she said.
“This was my second season as an ambassador for the Foundation, which is a role I’m really proud to hold.
“I’m really pleased to receive this award from the PFA, and I hope that I can carry on supporting the community whenever possible.”