How football is pushing the boundaries of inclusivity

National World - LocalTV

Football is the world’s biggest and most popular sport, both in terms of viewing and playing. In this country, it is showing how it can be accessed by older generations as well as those with disabilities.

Transcript

00:00 Football is a universal game that unites many millions around the world.

00:04 Closer to home, many elite clubs in this country boast foundations and charities

00:08 that use football to help out in the community.

00:11 An example of this is the Newcastle United Foundation,

00:14 which puts on walking football sessions for older generations to keep them fit and active.

00:20 Thomas Graham, one of the foundation's coaches in Newcastle,

00:23 told me about what they do and the benefits it has.

00:26 So Newcastle United Foundation engage with the community on a daily basis

00:30 with loads of programmes and interventions set up to help people,

00:33 whether it's from an education perspective, being involved with health and wellbeing,

00:37 being active, whether that's physically or mentally, and in hindsight just helping people.

00:42 Speaking to those involved, I found out just why they're here.

00:46 I used to play five a side even up until when I was 60,

00:50 and before that I used to think walking football was not proper football.

00:57 There was a bit of a stigma that people who played running football

01:01 thought walking football was not proper football.

01:05 But once you started playing walking football, you found out it's even better than running football

01:13 because it's much harder to play.

01:15 You meet new people, there's people turning up every week that you haven't seen,

01:20 and within a few games you're best friends with them. It's really good.

01:25 Yeah, I've found that as well. No matter what age you are and all the rest of it,

01:31 whatever goes on the pitch, afterwards we all just shake hands and get on with it.

01:36 It's a good bunch. I've been made to feel very welcome considering I didn't know anyone.

01:40 Moving to women's football, captain of the England Deaf Women's team, Claire Stancliffe,

01:46 told us about being inspired by the Lionesses amidst the challenges of fundraising

01:52 for her team to go to the World Championships on the other side of the world.

01:57 I was really lucky to be at the European final last year at Wembley,

02:01 which was just an incredible experience.

02:04 I think it just goes to show that it doesn't matter who you play against

02:08 as long as you're just putting your best effort in, anything can happen.

02:11 Football's a funny old game. So I think we've taken a lot of inspiration from what they've done.

02:16 They've come through similar pathways to us where they've had no support whatsoever.

02:20 So yeah, that's just an inspiration for all of us.

02:23 Back in April we found out that the FA weren't having the England Deaf Women's football team anymore,

02:32 and players were really keen to still go ahead to go to the World Cup.

02:37 We didn't have any money, we didn't have any funding,

02:39 so we decided to set up a fundraising campaign of £100,000 in April.

02:44 We needed £50,000 by the end of June.

02:47 It was very slow to start with, but luckily we managed to hit £77,000 through fundraising and sponsorship.

02:55 Also Frank Hester, ABE, came forward and he's offered to pay for our flights, accommodation and all of our kit.

03:00 So there's been an incredible response and now the whole trip's fully funded.

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