Double delight for Sunderland AFC midfielder Dan Neil after being crowned the Community Champion by the Professional Footballers Association

Dan was presented with his award having also helped Sunderland to qualify for the Championship playoffs and a possible return to the Premier League after the team’s 0-3 victory over Preston North End on Bank Holiday Monday.

Dan has supported a number of events organised by SAFC’s official charity, including football holiday courses, question answer sessions, supporting health and wellbeing programmes and backing the Small Change Big Difference fundraising campaign.

Upon hearing he had won the award Dan said: “I am delighted to receive this award, it means a lot. Coming from the region I know how much the club means to the supporters and it’s great to give something back to the community.

"The Foundation of Light do some incredible work and it’s great to play a part in that.”

The PFA Community Champion Award aims to raise awareness of the work that footballers do to help their club’s community during the season.

Jamie Wright, Foundation of Light managing director said: “With Dan being from the North East and previously experiencing our programmes while growing up, it makes it that extra bit special for him to get this award.

"He knows what impact the Foundation can have on the families that we work with and he can appreciate the importance of the role that the football club has in the community.”

SAFC Ladies defender, Grace McCatty, also picked up the Community Champion award for the women, making it a double success for the Black Cats.

Grace was at the Beacon of Light in December to hand out medals for the Foundation’s World Cup event, which was followed by another visit in April to show support to local schools who were competing in the Premier League Primary Stars tournament.

Grace said: “For me it’s a huge honour and privilege. As footballers, we have the opportunity to use our reach beyond the pitch itself and this is a great recognition of that. The chance to actually better the lives of people because of who we are as footballers is fantastic, and for me it’s a massive honour to be recognised for that.”

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Grace continues to be a fantastic ambassador for the women’s game, with the former Bristol City and Durham player using her influence to inspire the next generation.

She added: “The Foundation does some incredibly life-changing work, not just across Sunderland but the wider area.

“The fact I can be recognised as a small part of that is an incredible privilege. Our lives as footballers aren’t just about what happens on the football pitch and that’s what the Foundation does, it uses the power of sport for good.”

The Foundation of Light, is based at the Beacon of Light, and was established in 2001 by former Sunderland AFC chairman Sir Bob Murray.

The Foundation’s mission is to “use the power of football to tackle the North East's biggest societal challenges, helping our communities to live happier and healthier lives”.