Allan Saint-Maximin named PFA Community Champion for charity work with Newcastle United Foundation

The 24-year-old winger was nominated for the award after getting involved with Newcastle United Foundation initiatives and making his own donations to provide care packages for Newcastle's NHS staff working through the Covid-19 pandemic.

The PFA Community Champion awards aim to recognise players dedicated to getting involved in the communities around them and lending a hand to their club's charity work throughout the season.

Shortly after arriving on Tyneside, the Frenchman ingratiated himself with the wider community, meeting with members of staff and volunteers at Newcastle's West End Foodbank to learn more about the centre and families who rely on the organisation for support.

It was here he met with young people completing social action work at the foodbank through Newcastle United Foundation's National Citizen Service programme.

The United star has been in close contact with the official charity arm of Newcastle United ever since and was inspired to make a generous donation of his own for the city's key workers at the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The packs donated by Saint-Maximin and delivered by Foundation staff, included gift cards for High Street shops, luxury chocolate boxes created by boutique French confectioners, and a note of appreciation from the player, hailing Newcastle's NHS staff as "the real heroes."

On receiving the PFA Community Champion Award, Saint-Maximin said: "I didn't expect that they were going to give me a trophy, because I don't do it for a trophy, but I'm really happy to have this.

"Being involved in the community in the city is really important and I just want to say thank you to the PFA and to the Newcastle United Foundation for nominating me.

"A lot of people in my family, and also people I know and have met in my life, work in medicine or similar things so it's really important for me to give my support and do what I can to give something back."

The key figure for the Magpies also regularly shares the Foundation's work on social media, proudly promoting the charity's activity supporting more than 66,000 people each to be more active, learn new skills, be more employable and to reach their potential.

Steve Beharall, Head of Newcastle United Foundation, said: "It has been an incredibly challenging year for all of us, but acts of kindness within our communities have helped us all to appreciate what we do have.

"Allan's actions ever since he arrived in the North East have shown his genuine care and compassion for those around him and we're only too happy to help facilitate those meetings and donations to ensure everyone receives the support they need.

"We are always incredibly grateful for the continued support of everyone at the club and we wanted to recognise everything Allan has done off the pitch to enrich the community in the past year which has been fantastic to see."