VYD – Improving Lives Through Football

Football has been part of the fabric of our community life for well over a century. It is by nature a social activity that brings us together, whether as players or spectators.

Football has been part of the fabric of our community life for well over a century. It is by nature a social activity that brings us together, whether as players or spectators.

Many clubs, amateur and professional alike, trace their roots to working men’s clubs or factories, and were a means for getting together to relax and do something to distract from toiling long days in tough environments.

Working conditions for most now are luxurious compared with those days, but nevertheless we see all around us the toll modern life can take on people’s mental health, confidence, and overall wellbeing. An increasing number are struggling.

People finding life tough can withdraw from their social networks, but just as decades ago people came together through football to escape often dull and physically exacting working lives, so today the beautiful game has the power to restore social contact and reconnect with support networks.

VYD is a Community Interest Company that believes in the power of football to improve people’s lives, especially those who, for whatever reason, need support to reconnect with the community and find support to get back on track.

Hawks Heroes Case Study

The Crew Club’s Hawks Heroes programme was a 10-week community-based grassroots project that aimed to get men living in Whitehawk, one of the most socially and economically challenging neighbourhoods in England, back into football to reduce health risks and improve psychological and emotional wellbeing.

VYD structured and delivered the 10-week football programme at Crew Club, running two hour sessions every Monday and Wednesday.

What did we do?

Over ten weeks the project delivered:

• 20 x 2-hour football training sessions delivered by VYD’s professional academy coach, Kevin Green

• 3 friendly matches against Montpelier Villa U18s team, 2nd team and Veterans.

How did we track change?

Before the first coaching session basic health data was gathered from each participant, including height, weight, information about levels of activity and engagement in risky health behaviours. A visual analogue scale was used to score participants mood and level of social connection. Each participant undertook a bleep test at the beginning of the first training session.

What did difference did Hawk’s Heroes make?

Of the 23 participants aged between 18 and 46 who registered pre-programme.

• 74% were overweight or obese – total team weight 168 stone 11 pounds (1072kg)

• 78% had a heart age that was older than their age in years.

• The combined actual age of all participants was 782 years and their combined heart age was 814 years, a difference of 32 years.

• 40% rated ‘Red’ and 26% rated ‘Amber’ health category

• 48% rated their mood 5 or below on a scale of 1-10 (1=very sad and down, 5=in the middle, not happy and not sad, 10=extremely happy)

• 52% rated their level of social connection 5 or below on a scale of 1-10 (1=I do not see anyone regularly, 5=I sometimes see people but would like to see them more frequently, 10=I see a lot of my friends and family)

Programme outcomes

Total weight of team 160 stone 13 pounds (1022kg) – total weight loss of 7 stone 10Ibs.

• The groups hearts were 8 years younger at the end of the programme than they were at the start.

• Average 16.5% improvement in beep test scores – the biggest improvement was 55%.

• 100% rated their mood between 8 or above when at the start 48% rated their mood 5 or below.

• 100% rated their level of social connection 7 or above when at the start 52% rated their level of social connection 5 or below.

• 100% of participants either Agreed or Strongly Agreed that participating in Hawk’s Heroes made them fitter, stronger, sleep better, cope better with negative emotions, reduce health harming behaviours (such as smoking and drinking) and made them feel less stressed.

• 1 participant’s life was saved

‘If it wasn’t for Hawk’s Heroes and me going on it, they wouldn’t have found out I had cancer. I just found out from me starting the course, so it saved my life.’ Hawk’s Heroes footballer

Hawks Heroes was evidence of the power of football to improve lives. The team has continued training and playing friendlies and look forward to entering a league for the 2020/21 season.

The Crew Club is a dynamic community centre in the heart of Whitehawk providing events, projects, activities and a safe space for young people and adults in Whitehawk.

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VYD is looking for corporate partners to help fund similar projects to Hawks Heroes in 2020.

If you believe that football has the power to change lives and would like to help us do this, perhaps as part of your charity or CSR initiatives for 2020, we would love to hear from you.

Please contact Gary Pleece, founder of VYD at gary@vydcic.org call 07989159984 or visit vydcic.org  for more.