County defender Dan Butler was crowned 'PFA Community Champion' for the 2017/18 season at the Club's End of Season Awards at the weekend.
The Exiles left-back has attended numerous We Wear the Same Shirt Football Sessions, visited several local football, school and community match days as well as several holiday camps, school festivals and local events. It is fair to say Dan has been busy!
Shortly before the awards on Saturday, Dan spoke to #iFollowExiles about extending his contract for the 2018/19 season and also about the Community work he has been involved in since joining the Club nearly two seasons ago. "I met Norman Parselle not long after I joined Newport and before long I was getting involved with a whole new aspect of a football club in terms of Community work. I love attending sessions and helping in any way I can, as often as possible."
Dan also said in the same interview "The We Wear the Same Shirt team is a group I first got involved with. I have loved my time there, met some great people who I see sometimes out of sessions, even when I am shopping for instance! Also then on game days I sometimes catch them in the crowd. I have really loved my time there and I can't wait to see what we all get up to next season."
Upon presenting the Award, Community Development Officer Norman Parselle said : "Dan has been the Club's Health ambassador for 2 years, which is also the length of time he has been at the club. Since then, Dan has attended numerous community visits over the last year and when he attends he always gives his full commitment, just like when he plays. He is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and has made a very big impression on participants at our We Wear the Same Shirt programme."
Encouraged by his team mates to make a speech after collecting his award, Dan said "I am extremely privileged to be an ambassador for such an important subject. Mental health is something that everybody should be able to speak openly about, so if I can do my bit from time to time I am very happy to. I have met some really great people through this and hope that I may have helped in some sort of way and will continue to in the future. Up the Exiles!”
Read all about the rest of the Community Awards here.
Would you like to know more about the Community and the We Wear The Same Shirt program? Click here.