Walking Football is something that I never imagined I would partake in, it wasn't even on my radar. I'm flabbergasted that it ticks so many boxes and that is thanks to the great group of people who make this happen.
So many new friendships have been made, fitness has improved and whatever the weather there is nothing that stops us. It melts my heart to see so much inclusion knowing that it’s a sport for all. I had my reservations when I first started wondering if I was going to be the laughing stock of the football pitch, how wrong I was. It's up there at the top as being one of the best things I have ever done, I wish I had found it sooner.
It means everything to me. I live a very active life with work and other sports and like so many others had given up on football so long ago. It's terrific to part of a team working towards a common goal. I'd like to volunteer to help take the sport forward in way possible. Thanks to Simone and the FFC family for sharing in this awesome journey.
A huge amount. It gives me exercise and has led to me feeling a lot healthier. The weekly camaraderie amongst the players is great and I have several more names I feel are friends.
Keeping fit & healthy. Socialising with people own age. Having a new purpose in life. Never ever thought I would play football again. Such a great bunch of guys.
The programme is an important part of my week, it provides exercise as well as social contact with others which is good for mental and physical wellbeing. The sessions provides a quiz as well as games which are both fun and great for memory recall. It provides a platform to talk and have coffee with local people I would never had met which goes beyond the sessions and provides friendships outside of the programme which again is great to combat loneliness.
Everything – have made lots of friends. Has helped the old grey matter. Also it gives me an incentive to get out of the house. Thanks to all FFC members making us all welcome.
Means a lot. Gives me confidence to do the things that I knew I could do, but gives me somewhere to get advice if I need it. The sessions should carry on and gives me more focus to do other things.
So much. Not only is it a chance to make new friends and keep fit but it is done in a fantastic environment with great coaches. Family life is complicated and this programme is respite and highly enjoyable. Genuinely good people are all there with the same aim as you and this helps spur you on. It makes Mondays enjoyable again.
It gave me something to look forward to on a weekly basis, especially the online training sessions and coffee mornings during lockdown, and has opened my eyes to the work that the FFC Foundation does.
A great chance to be physically active and have a blether with everyone, like minded FFC and footie fans. I get there 45 minutes before my session to have a good natter and stay afterwards to see everyone.
The link to football in the true sense ie kicking a ball and seeing if what I once learnt and could execute was still there albeit in a much modified manner due to age. The mere touching of a ball evokes such wonderful memories when I could play and gives you both satisfaction/ frustrating feelings in equal measures just like when I played for real. Tremendous buzz with all the guys as though we were still all young.
Fulham's More Than A Game sessions is a very rewarding experience. It allows me to have that sense of freedom as, like many people, I'm quite caught-up and busy in my daily life so it's a nice opportunity to simply stop and smell the roses and acknowledge how well I'm doing both in my football development and emotionally speaking.
It's important we find a balance between our physical and mental well-being and I greatly believe Fulham's More Than A Game sessions provide exactly that. The sessions challenge me but primarily they allow me to be carefree and causal even when it can sometimes be challenging as we're often consumed within our fast-paced society to a point we grow weary and burnout. So it's amazing to know that I can go somewhere where life's heap of pressure can be taken of me and help change my perspective towards reality.
Walking Football is an opportunity to be part of the FFCF Team. It is an opportunity to express myself using only three touches of the football.
Means a lot to me, has given me lots of confidence since being here.
It is the highlight of my week.
More Than A Game Football helped me gain a sense of escape and relief from looking for employment. It enabled a physical, mental, and social benefit to help me focus, relax, and have a more positive outlook. The positive and friendly engagement with Fulham FC Foundation coaches and participants was the reason I came back week after week; to the point that I was quite emotional when I had found a job and could no longer attend. More Than A Game Football was a great and valued experience in my life that I’ll never forget, and I’ll always be grateful for. Fulham Football Club Foundation gave me so much that I now consider myself a loyal Fulham fan. I feel that no other club has given this to me, and I am incredibly grateful.
It's good to come out and meet up with other people. A chit-chat and good laugh is good for our mental health, at least we don't feel so isolated. I can't recommend this memories exercise more highly.
Feel happy coming to the session. Enjoy mixing with other people. I like the fact that everyone of different ages, races, cultures all get on together.
FFCF Walking Football means I have been able to reconnect with a sport that I enjoyed in my childhood and achieve an ambition to kick a football around again. As a older female this is one of the few opportunities available to do that.
I feel relaxed, have lots of fun and do quite a bit of exercise. Furthermore, I have learned skills and have to use both sides of my brain.
More than a game football is an excellent programme that helps those with mental health issues in the community to stay active and motivated....its invaluable. The coaches are great too.. Please keep it going. Thanks
It was a great morning - being introduced to walking football on the pitch at Craven Cottage!
A chance to play football once again, having not played for 5 years, having played competitive football into my early sixties. It has also boosted my physical confidence, after a very recent heart procedure.
I think it’s really important that The Hurlingham Club Foundation and Fulham Football Club Foundation are running these Fulham Memories Lunches. People are faced with all manner of difficulties and to be able to bring together people who have shared experiences and shared problems and put them in a place where they feel safe and welcome is brilliant. Fulham Football Club Foundation and The Hurlingham Club Foundation are bringing real joy to people and a change in their lives. To be seeing this resource (The Hurlingham Club) enjoyed by members of our local community is just a great thing and I think the project of working together with you (Fulham FC Foundation) is inspired.
I’ve benefitted from More Than A Game Football in terms of my mental health. It makes me feel very good mixing with people who probably I wouldn’t mix with. Being with them and playing football, it’s like the cherry on top! When I come here, it makes me feel very good. It’s like a family, all different ages people who you wouldn’t think you would mix with.
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.
