Southend United and c2c have treated five special community heroes to a complimentary matchday experience. The heroes were invited to Roots Hall for Southend United’s match against Truro City on Tuesday.

What happened?

The invitation followed a call for nominations from c2c and the Southend Echo to mark International Volunteers Day. Each winner received four complimentary tickets to the match and was welcomed by Southend star, Leon Parillon.

Why it matters for Southend

The winners were chosen for their selfless contributions to the community, including volunteering and charity work. Matthew Fright, a lead support worker at the St Vincent de Paul Society, was praised for running a weekly SMART Recovery course. Nathan Mills is a two-time brain cancer survivor who always puts others first in his community.

Current context

As of 29 Jun 2026, Southend United is currently 6th in the National League, with 81 points from 46 games, and a recent form of WLWWD. Their last result was a 0-0 draw against Wealdstone on 2026-05-17. | Category | Value | | --- | --- | | League standing | 6th | | Points | 81 | | Recent form | WLWWD | | Goals scored | 83 | | Goals conceded | 47 | | Goal difference | +36 | | Title race | 27 points behind leaders York |

The community heroes were recognized for their generosity and commitment to helping others. Rob Mullen, managing director at c2c, said: 'c2c is delighted to have partnered with the Southend Echo to give worthy local heroes the opportunity to enjoy Southend United’s game with Truro on us.'