Fulham Foundation CEO Mike McSweeney pens an open letter to supporters and participants ahead of the upcoming Foundation sessions.
Firstly, I hope you are keeping well, and you have been able to find some positives from the last three months of lockdown. For me, it has been a chance to spend some quality time with the family, but I admit that home schooling has certainly been a challenge.
We are really pleased that as lockdown eases, we can begin to return to some form of face to face delivery, and we are delighted to welcome you to our upcoming sessions. The planning, risk assessments and quality assurance has been incredibly thorough, and I want to reassure you we have taken all known necessary precautions and advice to ensure a safe return to play, including all guidelines issued by the Government and The Football Association.
I would also like to manage expectations on the type and volume of sessions we will initially have available. Our primary concern is the safety of our participants, in an environment which meets all health and safety requirements set out by designated guidelines. Therefore, we will not have all the options you may be used to. As soon as we can do more, we will.
Despite there being no recent face to face delivery, we have been very busy. I thought it was worth highlighting a few initiatives which have supported our communities during lockdown:
- Over 3,000 meals distributed to those most in need.
- 1,400 befriending calls made to vulnerable adults who might be suffering isolation.
- 150+ hours of online activity.
- Women’s Team ‘Let’s Connect’ programme – mentoring our Girls Development Centre players.
Finally, I would like to thank you for your support and understanding and, speaking as a parent, I now want to see my daughter being active, having fun with her friends, growing in confidence, and getting back to enjoying learning through sport. Our sessions will hopefully facilitate this for you too.
Best wishes and keep safe.
Mike McSweeney, Chief Executive Officer