Fulham FC Foundation are delighted to be working with St Mungo's to support the mental wellbeing of people who are experiencing, or are at risk of, homelessness within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. In collaboration with St. Mungo’s, we will be running our weekly More Than A Game Football programme, which supports adults with their mental health through football.
St Mungo’s is a leading homelessness charity supporting 3,150 people every night in the UK. More Than A Game Football will give the charity’s service users the opportunity to engage in wellbeing and football activities, get active and socialise with others in a safe and inclusive environment. The sessions will start from the end of February at Eel Brook Common in Fulham, and will be facilitated by qualified Fulham FC Foundation coaches and Mental Wellbeing Practitioners.
Our recent survey reported that 69% of our current More Than A Game Football participants felt that their mental health had improved as a result of attending weekly. We also saw that 92% of participants felt that their confidence had improved, 85% of participants felt their interpersonal relationships had improved and 100% of participants felt that their physical wellbeing had improved.
According to the Mental Health Foundation, people who are currently or those who have experienced homelessness are more likely to face mental health challenges compared to the general population. Sport and physical activity are an important tool to improve mental health and we’re proud to be able to use football to open the conversation and support people who may not typically get the opportunity to be involved.
“We are very delighted to be collaborating with St Mungo’s. We know that sport can be an effective tool promoting social inclusion and positive physical and mental health. Working with St Mungo’s and having their expertise and support, means that people experiencing homelessness can not only re-engage with the community but also benefit in different ways regarding their health and wellbeing.” - Athina Papailiou, Mental Wellbeing Practitioner at Fulham FC Foundation
"We at St Mungo’s are excited to collaborate with Fulham FC Foundation. We believe in the transformative power of sport, and the positive impact of regular playing through More Than A Game Football has already been seen. We are grateful that working together with Fulham FC will enable people experiencing homelessness to do much more than just play sports but to build and foster connections and achieve benefits to their physical and mental health." - Stewart Proudley, Senior Service Manager at St Mungo's
You can support Fulham FC Foundation’s work with St Mungo’s, supporting the mental wellbeing of people in our community, by signing on for our upcoming Stadium Sleepout at Craven Cottage on Thursday 21st March. Find out more and register today to take part in the Sleepout via the link below.
