Ebbsfleet United Football Club were presented with the Community Award at the Dartford & Gravesham Business Awards 2014 on Friday night in a gala dinner held at The Woodville, Gravesend.

Fleet staff and their guests were awarded with a certificate and trophy to celebrate “an organisation that for more than 60 years has been at the heart of the local community and continues to maintain and further develop those links today”.

Club director Stuart Butler-Gallie said, “We are delighted with this award and the recognition of our place in the Community. We have only really started with our plans in this respect and our hope is, that as EUFC grows, we can reach more of the Community that supports us and commit more resources to achieving this.”

And just to underline the club’s commitment, general manager Dave Archer was first to leave the night’s festivities as he was due up at the crack of dawn to serve hot food and drinks to participants in the mayor’s annual beating the bounds walk, the early stages of which come down Stonebridge Road and past the PHB Stadium.