Westmorland County FA has been celebrating after picking up a significant award at Wembley Stadium.
It won the Referee Development category at the 2025 County FA Recognition Awards for its ACES Referee Course.
The awards recognise and endorse projects, products and services delivered by county FAs over the past season, while sharing best practice and learnings from around the country.
This year saw a record-breaking number of nominations submitted, with over 250 nominations received from the 50 county FAs operating across England.
They highlighted exceptional delivery and innovation to improve grassroots football and increase participation across all levels of the game.
Peter Leonard, referee development officer at Westmorland County FA, was handed the award for delivering the referee course, specifically designed for young people in care or who have faced adverse childhood experiences.
Westmorland County FA CEO, James Pattison, said: “We are immensely proud to be the winners of this year’s national awards for referee development.
“We are lucky to have such a passionate, dedicated and innovative referee development officer in Peter Leonard who continuously strives to support and develop our match officials.
“This specific project focused on getting young people who are in care or who have suffered adverse childhood experiences into refereeing.
“We identified young people like these as a key target area through our EDI Strategy and a remarkable 20% of our match officials have come through these specific courses.
“It gives opportunities for young people to be involved in the game that they would never otherwise be able to.
“It is amazing to see them thriving in these roles and with Pete they have an inspirational person to learn from and be supported by.”
The FA’s head of operations for grassroots football, Tim Foster added: “These awards shine a light on the outstanding work being delivered by our county FA network to grow and enhance grassroots football nationwide.
“It’s always inspiring to see how bold ideas and creative initiatives are turning into real opportunities for people to get involved and enjoy the game.
“My congratulations go to all of the winners and shortlisted projects – each one is making a meaningful difference to our footballing communities across the country.”
