ALBION’S official charity brings benefits worth millions of pounds to the city every year, it has been revealed.

Albion In The Community (AITC) uses football to provide “accessible opportunities that improve the health and wellbeing, education and aspirations of our community”.

But a recent social and economic impact report commissioned by the club found the charity’s work also has vast financial benefits for Brighton and Hove, to the value of some

£28 million each year.

This was calculated based on the impact it had on the city across three sectors – community, employment, and learning and health.

The total included money brought in by members of AITC’s employment schemes who had begun earning in their new jobs as well as money saved in healthcare through some of the charity’s programmes such as pre-diabetes sessions and smoking cessation.

The report also placed monetary value on other factors which benefit the community such as time spent by children taking part in physical activity.

The research focused on the 2017/18 season, Albion’s first in the Premier League.

A club spokesman said: “AITC invests about £3 million a year delivering its 60 local projects, meaning the charity is creating an astonishing £8.84 of social value for every £1 it receives in grants or donations.

“The charity uses the popularity of football and Brighton and Hove Albion to engage more than 43,000 people in its work each year, focusing largely on getting people active, helping people lead healthier lives and raising aspirations and academic achievement.

“Estimates of its impact are based on calculating the knock-on effect of AITC’s work.”

Matt Dorn, the charity’s chief executive, expressed his pride at the positive impact.

He said: “Everyone at the charity is absolutely determined to have a positive influence on the local community and to make sure our work has the maximum impact possible, so it is brilliant to see exactly how much that impact is worth.

“So much of our work is only possible as a result of the generosity of our funders and supporters, so it is great for them to see that for every £1 they donate to us, we can generate almost £9 worth of social benefit.”

The report revealed the charity delivered 60 projects to more than 30,000 people in the 2017/18 season. This included working with 129 schools and providing regular football sessions for more than 250 people with disabilities in Sussex.