MARCH VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH 

John Bailey, a dedicated volunteer at Madeley White Star FC, has been awarded Staffordshire FA's Volunteer of The Month for March.

John works full-time and is a family man, but still carries out several roles at the club. He is the director, groundsman, treasurer, and manager of two U16s teams. Since 2017, he has been the driving force behind a project to improve the facilities available at the club's Manor Road location, and despite numerous setbacks, John has remained positive and focused. Recently, Madeley White Star FC has been successful in their application for funding for a new clubhouse facility, which will dramatically provide the facilities at the club with much-needed changing facilities, toilets, social space, and a kitchen area.

John has been involved with Madeley White Star FC since joining when his son was 7 years old, and since then, he has been instrumental in improving the pitches and facilities and supporting all aspects of the club.

Currently, John manages two under 16s teams playing on Saturdays and Sundays, and his future plans involve eventually setting up a reserve team to join the Staffs County Senior League. He takes great pride in everything he does and is friendly, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and passionate, making him a great coach and a positive role model.

John's coaching style is all about providing a safe and positive environment for players to learn without fear of doing something wrong and being shouted at. As a coach, he has helped his teams to love playing football while developing and improving as players, and he has provided an environment where they can learn to make their own decisions. He also instils the value of friendship, teamwork, sportsmanship, honesty, integrity, respect, discipline, and patience. All these life skills are essential as the players progress through school, college, university, and their chosen career.

He has also taken on the role of Groundsman around the time of the coronavirus pandemic and successfully obtained a pitch power grant to facilitate this. As a sufferer of anxiety, he finds carrying out the pitch maintenance a way of helping him to relax and unwind, giving him time to himself.

Awards kindly sponsored by magna projects ltd.