AFC Wimbledon Foundation helps Dons fan Ben turn his dreams into reality.

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Football and AFC Wimbledon mad, Ben, spends a lot of his time following his beloved Club and analysing their matches. This passion, devotion and knowledge of the game means Ben dreams of becoming a football coach one day.

However, he was unsure how he would turn this enthusiasm into realistic targets and goals to enable him to build his skills and confidence in coaching.

Ben enrolled on the Training Ground programme at his Club, to seek advice and guidance.

EFL in the Community’s Training Ground programme is currently available to those aged 16-24 living within the Greater London Authority area and is an employability programme designed to support those seeking employment or further training.  The Training Ground programme offers small groups the chance to receive one to one mentoring, participate in group workshops on topics such as life skills and money management, undertake work experience or volunteering in a range of contexts, to develop employability skills, and to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.

Initially, Ben felt uncertain about how to navigate his path into coaching; he struggled with setting specific goals. The programme offered him valuable resources and support, helping him gain confidence in his abilities.

Over the course of the programme, Ben’s confidence grew significantly as he learnt to set and achieve weekly goals; this structured approach has allowed him to make visible progress in his coaching journey.

Whilst on the Training Ground programme Ben completed the FA Playmaker course supported by BT which is aimed at providing skills, guidance and tips so anyone can help create safe, fun, and inclusive football. As well as this, he also completed his FA Induction to Football, marking another important step forward in his development as a coach.

Ben explained: “Football is my passion. The opportunity to participate in the Training Ground programme at AFC Wimbledon was like a dream come true. It has helped me to be in the place where I fit and perform best. At the start of the programme, I was unsure if I would receive help to pursue my dream of becoming a coach, as the weeks went on, everything started to change. Each week I set small goals with my mentor, and I can see real results.”

With Ben’s love for the game and his determination to continually improve, he has begun paving the way for a successful career in the sport he loves.

How the CARE programme with Notts County Foundation helped Jean live a quality life.

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Sadly, Jean recently passed away after her battle with cancer but the CARE programme at Notts County Foundation ensured she was able to live a high quality, positive life despite her cancer diagnosis.

The Cancer and Rehabilitation Exercise (CARE) programme is a group-based exercise initiative for any individual at any stage of their cancer recovery or treatment. From pre-treatment preparation through with and beyond cancer, the CARE programme is there for any individual to enjoy their exercise alongside a likeminded group of individuals.

Prior to her passing, she spoke about her story in hope that she could help and support others.

“Before I got diagnosed with my cancer I was really outgoing and constantly on the move and never spent a full day at home. The day I got told,  my world shut down and I just didn’t know what to do or how to go about my life. I began my journey after my operation and started with a group at Nottingham City Hospital Prehab unit which was called ‘Prehab 2 Rehab’ where I met Lisa, Josh and Tom. I did 4 sessions of exercise which some of the movements I didn’t know I could do or was allowed to do. I really enjoyed the group and heard the next step was to join CARE.

My first session on CARE was an eye opener! I couldn’t believe the amount of people that attend and also how friendly, and wonderful the people are in the group. It helped me knowing Tom and Lisa before attending my first session. During my 12 weeks I have built up my strength to help me with my housework and my family can’t believe how easily I can get around. Not only has the group helped with my balance, strength and endurance it has helped build my confidence back up to where I was before my diagnosis.

From CARE I had the confidence to go on the CARE summer outing on my own knowing that people from the group were going to be there. I still attend CARE as I have finished my 12 weeks, and I feel now nothing is holding me back and I can do what I want to do with my friends and family and this is down to me attending CARE and learning to trust my body and know my new limits.”

 

Huddersfield Town walking football sessions provides Dave with an outlet post cancer diagnosis

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In 2021, Dave was diagnosed with stage 3/4 bowel cancer. After consultation at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Dave had most of his bowel system removed and thought he was in the clear.

After six months of recuperation, Dave felt confident enough to get back involved in the Huddersfield Town Foundation walking football sessions. He reguarly attended both sessions every week and felt it was improving his physical and mental health.

Unfortunately, in January 2023 after a regular check, cancer was found again in his right lung and Dave had to have 50% of his lung removed in July 2023. With encouragement from family and friends, Dave was determined to get back to the sessions he loved at Huddersfield Town.

Sue Bretton (Dave’s Wife) said: “Dave benefits from the exercise which he needs, but he also really benefits from being around the other chaps, because men don’t always talk, but in a session like this they can. They help each other and that helps those of us who live with them. Dave loves to come down and without the football Dave wouldn’t have anything activity wise to look forward to every week, but this is a place where Dave doesn’t have to put on a show for anyone – he can be himself and get the most he can out of it.”

 

Neil has been on an incredible and moving journey with Active Recovery Derby County Community Trust.

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When Debry Coutny Community Trust were first introduced to Neil, he was supporting his wife who had been diagnosed with stage four cancer. Six months later, Neil was given his own stage four diagnosis of prostate cancer but was already aware of the support and programme in place.

It became clear that Neil was really benefiting from having people around him. This was key in helping him cope after his wife sadly passed away.

Neil said: “Lee was one of the first members of staff I spoke to. When my wife died, he put his arm around me and told me he will always be there to help me with anything, even just someone to talk to.”

Neil became more committed to the programme and isn’t shy about trying new things. He initially started off with the walking group, before trying his hand at the gym, Fit Therapy, aquarobics and ‘Hub not a Pub’ – an evening social group. In this time, Neil has got to know several of the staff. He appreciates all their efforts:

“Hannah is always supportive. Claire is bubbly and you can’t help feeling upbeat after her sessions and Adam is a good laugh and tells us all to try our best but have fun along the way.”

It’s not just the staff that has made a difference for Neil. Active Recovery has given him a new sense of purpose. Neil also said: “There are so many friends and people I now know… I’m so glad I joined when I did. I feel part of a team.”

Neil has come a long way under the programme and feels he wouldn’t be where he is without it.

“My cancer isn’t going away… it’s still there, but I am going to stay as healthy as I can, so I can fight it as long as I can, and this programme is wonderful for that. I am so grateful for everyone who has helped me get as far as I have.”

Above all, Neil can be himself and look for support when he needs it. Whether that’s joining in with a social element with other cancer fighters or pushing for better fitness, he feels as though everyone is encouraging you to do your best.

EFL in the Community Newsletter: Issue Six

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Issue Six of the EFL in the Community Newsletter aims to showcase a selection of the invaluable activities carried out by EFL Clubs and their Club Community Organisations (CCOs), published in January 2025.

Taking place every day across England and Wales, EFL Clubs and CCOs collectively continue to make a huge difference and positive impact on our communities while improving people’s lives.

In this latest issue, we celebrate the awe-inspiring activities delivered during the EFL’s Week of Action by clubs up and down the country, whilst we hear from people benefitting from the fantastic projects provided by EFL Clubs, and their charities, including Port Vale’s Memory Lane initiative, which offers a supportive environment for individuals with dementia and their families and refugee provision provided by Rotherham United Community Trust.

In addition, the newsletter showcases how investment behind the Sky Bet EFL Building Foundations Fund has supported popular initiatives to help with homelessness, employability, adult disability and veteran provision.

Blackburn Rovers Community Trust helping dads open up about grief

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Everybody experiences grief, and while it might affect people in different ways, many can find it helps to share experiences with others.

That’s exactly what Alex, who has been attending a new bereavement programme launched by Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, thinks.

Blackburn Rovers Dads FC promote football sessions that provide a supportive and stable environment for bereaved dads to socialise, engage in physical activity, and celebrate their children.

“It is important for us to all talk and there has not really been a group for men [until now],” Alex explained. “Typically, men don’t talk or speak up. No one really expects this is going to happen to them, it is a situation we don’t want to be in.”

The sessions take place every Friday night in the Blackburn Rovers Indoor Centre from 8 – 9 pm and recognise the emotional challenges faced by fathers who have experienced the loss of a child.

“Getting together as a group to share our similar experiences and troubles really helps with our headspace on our journey,” Alex continued.

“It can help you through the next week. We are all at different stages. I experienced loss earlier this year but from some, it has been ten or more years, and they have only just spoken to people about it.”

This week marks National Grief Awareness week with the chosen theme ‘Shine a Light’ highlighting people, places and projects across the UK like this.

Participants get to take part in sessions run by qualified coaches and representatives from Maggie’s Still Birth Legacy and Friends of Serenity – who helped set up the programme – are also in attendance to offer their guidance and support.

Joanne, from Friends of Serenity, said: “There is a lot of support available for women and children there is a very limited options available for dads.

“We have been talking for quite a while about the idea of a dad’s football team. It is really good for wellbeing and it is a way of talking without pressure whilst having fun.”

Fahima Iqbal, Head of Health and Wellbeing at Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, added: “Working together and using the power of football, we believe we can make a positive difference on many people’s lives and we want them to know, we are here to help!”

All ages and abilities are welcome and the session is free of charge.

Not Holding Back at Norwich City Community Sports Foundation: James’ Story

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Growing up with a cochlear implant to assist with his hearing, which he continues to use, James joined Norwich Community Sports Foundation’s disability football programme at the age of 10 after his family discovered the Foundation’s hearing impairment football sessions that take place on a Friday evening at Carrow Park. 

The Foundation provides an inclusive environment in a variety of provisions to ensure their local community can access support for physical, mental and social wellbeing.

After embarking on the Foundation’s Football and Education Programme, James then took the next step, successfully applying for an apprenticeship at the Foundation. And he has now gone full circle, helping to coach the next generation of disability football participants.  

Disability and Inclusion Manager, Darren Hunter, said: “James is proving that having a disability shouldn’t hold you back in anything that you do and he’s testament to that. He’s a great role model for anybody that wants to come and be a coach, test themselves and push themselves further.” 

Norwich City is one of many Clubs in the English Football League (EFL) who run pivotal programmes, and in 2023/24 1.10m people engaged with community programmes delivered by EFL Clubs and Club charities, of which, 10% had a disability. Last season alone,  football training sessions for adults, children and young people with disabilities engaged 9,397 participants.

 

JOBI MCANUFF AND RACHEL BROWN-FINNIS ANNOUNCED AS EFL COMMUNITY AMBASSADORS DURING THE WEEK OF ACTION

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Former professional footballers turned pundits, Jobi McAnuff and Rachel Brown-Finnis, will represent the EFL as Community Ambassadors for the 2024/25 season, helping to showcase the work of Clubs in their communities.

EFL Clubs make a real difference to their local communities and surrounding areas – both on and off the pitch 365 days a year – positively impacting people and wider society, with community efforts changing lives for the better in areas such as physical and mental wellbeing, education, social connection and community cohesion.

Jobi McAnuff is no stranger to the EFL, having made over 750 career appearances, playing across the top five tiers of English football for the likes of Crystal Palace, Reading and Leyton Orient. The former midfielder, who also made over 30 international appearances for Jamaica, ended his career in a player-manager role for Leyton Orient at the end of the 2020/21 season and currently has a prominent role in the media as a pundit.

In 2023/24 alone, EFL players made almost 21,000 appearances at Club and CCO events, an average of 292 appearances per Club.

Former goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis played for England on more than 80 occasions in her career, and at club level played for WSL sides Liverpool and Everton – as well as being part of the​ London 2012 Olympics Team GB squad. Since her retirement from the game, Brown-Finnis has moved into broadcasting as both a pundit and a co-commentator, also working regularly for the FA as a Lioness Legend.

This week the EFL is showcasing its annual Week of Action from 18 – 22 November, celebrating the collective impact of Club community work across the League.

While Managers and First Team players actively support their Club’s community activities all year round, the Week of Action sees them collectively come together in 72 towns and cities across England and Wales over the five-day period, meeting participants and engaging in some of the most innovative projects that are improving the quality of people’s lives.

 

Jobi McAnuff, EFL Community Ambassador said: “Football is a universal language and is something that brings a lot of people together, and as both a player and a manager in the EFL I have witnessed first-hand just how important Clubs are as a focal point of their local communities and key pillars in community life.

“I’m used to talking about matters on the pitch in my role as a pundit but I’m really looking forward to also highlighting the important work Clubs do off the pitch to help tackle some of society’s biggest challenges.”

Rachel Brown-Finnis, EFL Community Ambassador said: “The work of a Football Club transcends far beyond the pitch, as Clubs continually react and respond to whatever challenges crop up in the current climate.

“Clubs provide a safe place where people of all ages and background feel comfortable, and in times of adversity, football’s response and individual club’s response is always ‘how can we help our people?’ I’ve witnessed first-hand the impact EFL clubs can have in positively changing people’s lives and I’m looking forward to playing a small part in telling the story to a wider audience.”

 

Sian and Dave’s Journey to Health and Happiness through FIT BLUEBIRDS

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In January 2024, husband and wife Sian and Dave joined the Llanrumney cohort of our FIT BLUEBIRDS programme. It was their daughter Claire, who had previously completed the FIT FANS initiative, that encouraged them to join, believing they would enjoy and benefit from it. Looking for something to reignite their energy, they signed up together, hoping it would give them a renewed sense of purpose.

Both Sian and Dave found themselves stuck in a routine that left little room for healthy habits. With busy schedules as grandparents, they often neglected their own wellbeing, making poor food choices and feeling unmotivated to exercise. They needed a new approach, something that would put a spring in their step and help them feel more energetic.

Dave lost 7kg and Sian lost 4kg, but more importantly, they made lasting changes in their lives. They started making healthier food choices, like swapping chips for boiled potatoes or salads, and incorporating protein-rich snacks into their diets. These small, achievable adjustments not only improved their nutrition but also felt sustainable in the long term.

Since completing the programme, Sian and Dave have remained committed to daily walks, regularly monitoring their weight and blood pressure, and continue attending weekly circuit sessions led by FIT BLUEBIRDS Coach Matt. These sessions offer ongoing support to past participants, helping them stay fit and healthy, beyond the 12-week programme.

Dave even joined the walking football session, and cycling has become a regular part of his routine. Meanwhile, Sian has rejoined her weekly Tai Chi class. This newfound joy and vitality have also spread throughout their family, giving them a renewed energy as busy grandparents.

FIT BLUEBIRDS gave the couple more than just physical health improvements—it gave them the tools to maintain a balanced and happy lifestyle together, ensuring they stay fit and healthy for years to come.

This programme, part of the EFL in the Community’s FIT FANS initiative, has helped thousands of people like Sian and Dave achieve long-term improvements in weight loss, physical activity, diet, and overall wellbeing, making them healthier and happier for themselves and their loved ones.

To find out more about your nearest FIT FANS programme,  please contact your local Club using the list below.

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    Huddersfield Town’s wellbeing programme rescues Mihai

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    When Mihai Luchenciuc relocated to Yorkshire in his early teens from Romania to live with his older sister, leaving behind his parents and other family members, he began to battle with isolation and mental health challenges. 

    Mihai, aged 19, experienced symptoms of low mood and psychosis.  

    After initial treatment, and the care of the local NHS Psychosis Team, they wanted to engage Mihai in positive activity where he could feel safe and included. 

    Also due to the medication prescribed for his mental health, Mihai experienced weight gain, so it was hoped that by attending wellbeing football activity it would have holistic benefits for him. His care coordinator brought him to Huddersfield Town Foundation’s weekly Wellbeing Football and Heads Up sessions. 

    Gregory Russell, from the NHS Psychosis Team supported Mihai during his recovery. “My job is to work with Mihai to help him achieve his goals, and in doing so, attempt to coordinate and provide him with care,” Gregory said. “In our time working together, Mihai identified goals as starting to make friends, feeling like he fitted in in the local area, to lose weight and get back into education.  

    “Football is a huge stress deterrent for Mihai, the group has also made him feel like he belongs in the local area, given him something to attend each week and allowed us to work on his confidence in many ways.” 

    Mihai has developed new friendships and his mental health has improved, thanks to local NHS support and the variety of provisions on offer by Huddersfield Town Foundation, the Club’s official charity. The Foundation wanted to set up a session that specifically helped local members of the community with their mental health, and Heads Up was born in October 2023. 

    Oliver Cundill, Health Manager at Huddersfield Town Foundation said: “I feel his footballing ability is dramatically improving week by week. 

    “His engagement with the other participants on the session has been great, making key friendships that have benefited him away from the session He has enjoyed coming along to a session where he can confidentially share his struggles away from the sessions.”