Volunteers at a Monmouthshire grassroot football club have won a top title at the AW & McDonald’s Grassroots Football Awards.

Undy AFC was named the national winner of the prestigious Spirit of Grassroots Football Award at the awards, which were held in Cardiff.

The awards celebrate the work of grassroots football heroes who make football possible by consistently supporting their communities by going above and beyond.

Undy AFC is a Platinum Accredited club and offers football for to more than 380 players, both boys and girls, from under four to under 16. The club hosts two weekends of summer tournaments, allowing more than 300 teams to enjoy festival and competitive football.

The club runs both McDonald’s Fun Football and Girls’ Huddle sessions, supported by a team of more than 65 coaches and helpers.

In the past six months, it has held monthly autism and disability-friendly sessions in association with Ready Steady Go, a local charity.

Welsh football legend and McDonald’s Fun Football Ambassador Helen Ward said: “My career would not have been possible without volunteers like those at Undy AFC who dedicate their time and effort to nurturing and expanding grassroots football within their community.

"The volunteers at Undy AFC truly embodies the lifeblood of the grassroots game.  I’m so proud to be here in Cardiff to honour these incredible winners."

McDonald’s is the longest-standing supporter of grassroots football in the UK, having celebrated Grassroots Heroes at the Grassroots Football Awards for 22 years.

In addition to championing local grassroots heroes, McDonald’s Fun Football has provided more than 500,000 children from five to 11 with free football coaching since 2022. The programme is committed to providing one million children with access to free football coaching by 2026.