Wolves Foundation hosted a five-year celebration for the Active Through Football project, which aims to encourage more people to become physically active through football-related activity.
Funded by the Football Foundation and Sport England, the nationwide project has proved a big success delivered by Wolves Foundation across the community, supporting local people in changing behaviour and improving and maintaining their activity levels.
Twenty five different foundations and local authorities were in attendance as Wolves hosted the five-year celebration event in WV1, showcasing the impact of the project as well as many personal journeys enjoyed as a result of Active Through Football.
“Throughout the years we have been delivering Active Through Football, it has been a very flexible and quick-moving project where we can adapt and ensure we deliver a range of activities to meet the local need,” says Liam Turner, senior active through football project officer.
“The activities range not just from what you might expect such as football sessions for different ages, Walking football, PAN disability football, Zumba, multi- sports, and chair-based exercise.
“Whatever the specific session, it is all about filling any gaps in community provision and helping people become more active in an environment which is suitable to them which they can enjoy and feel comfortable in.
“The five-year celebration event offered a great opportunity for all of us involved in Active Through Football to showcase some of our delivery and also our learnings, as well as featuring a really entertaining panel discussion.
“Success stories were also shared across the project’s delivery over many different areas, including of our own Max Stock, who now volunteers and works as a casual member of staff within the Foundation.
“Since he first volunteered at Active Through Football, we have helped support Max’s career development and the project has really impacted him positively both professionally and on a personal level.”
A live illustrator visually captured the impact of the programme during the event, which included a joint large-scale activity in partnership with Leeds Beckett University, highlighting how the 25 organisations have developed and evolved over the five years.
There was a strong focus on the professional development of individuals involved in the project, exploring how ATF has impacted and shaped them professionally.
Maddy Ford, programme manager with the Football Foundation, said: “We recently hosted an event at the Molineux Stadium celebrating five years of lifechanging impact on the Active Through Football programme.
“Active Through Football is an exciting place-based programme from Sport England, funded by The National Lottery and delivered by the Premier League, The FA and the Government's Football Foundation.
“Twenty-five projects have used the power of community engagement, physical activity, and football to reach the people who face the biggest barriers to getting active.
“The event brought together staff, volunteers and participants from across the country for an evening of connection, reflection, and celebration.
“It was wonderful to hear about the impact Active Through Football has had on the lives of many in the local area and to see how transformative this funding continues to be, ensuring that regardless of your background you can access football and its many benefits.”
Former Wolves manager and coach Terry Connor also popped in to the event, as his daughter Nicole was part of the Groove Collider band providing the musical entertainment.
The ATF project delivered by the Foundation has now entered an exciting new phase, with a strong focus on ensuring the long-term sustainability of its sessions. This next stage has already seen significant progress, with a growing network of community champions and volunteers stepping into more active roles across delivery.
As part of the night, Liam received a recognition for his hard work and commitment to the programme at Wolves Foundation over the last five years.
“The event was an excellent opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the success of the project,” he added.
For more information about Active Through Football please contact Liam Turner on 07483 446404 or LiamTurner@wolves.co.uk.
