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Local Heroes
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Matt Hall
Dawn Bennett nominated Matt Hall, Head of Community at Bromley FC, as a local hero. She said: “For
many years Matt has tirelessly supported our local community, from assisting with teaching at our local school to being the ‘go to’ man for all things Bromley Football Club related, community or otherwise. He has never failed to provide support and time and it’s always with a smile! He’s well worthy of recognition.”
Assistant Editor, Steve Tolmie, caught up with Matt shortly after Bromley’s brilliant win in the FA Trophy Final at Wembley… Congratulations Matt! How does it feel to be nominated as a Local Hero?
I feel very proud, shocked - and very thankful to Dawn as well. It’s very unexpected. I don’t do this job for personal recognition, I love the football club and want to make a difference.
Tell us about the different ways you have been able to bring Bromley FC and the local community together.
From Monday through to Sunday we offer a range of programmes including midweek soccer schools, ‘Man v Fat’ and dedicated schemes to get more girls into football. We have a very successful Saturday morning soccer school where we welcome over 230 kids each week. And we also run some very rewarding disability schemes and visit schools too.
What does a typical working day look like for you?
It’s a fast-paced environment, with constant change. I spend a lot of time project planning as well as managing and timetabling our brilliant team of coaches for our after-school sessions. I’m also the stadium announcer/commentator for home games – a bit of a ‘jack of all trades’!
Why do you think sport is so important for different members of our local community?
When I was young I would always be out playing sport. We want to encourage kids (and everyone) to be more active, get outside, get fitter and make new friends. We want to help make Bromley a fitter, healthier place.
Bromley’s women’s team won their league this season. How will you use this to encourage more young girls and women to play football?
It’s a really exciting time for women’s football. We are all about inclusivity and want to bring the women’s team to be a real part of our family. We want the women to be centre stage on the Sundays like the men are on the Saturdays. I think we might be the only club in Kent with a full-time women and girls development officer, Andrea. Women’s football is on the up – we had a record crowd for the FA Cup match against Hastings this season. And it’s not just the youngsters – we also have the Bromley Belles for the 30+ age group.
What does ‘community’ mean to you?
Everything really. It’s what we live and breathe and we strive to keep pushing to support everyone. We’re a real community club and we pride ourselves on that.
What’s coming up this summer for you in new your role as Head of Community?
We’ve got six weeks of kids’ football coming up, and I’d like to highlight the first week, which is Access to Sport. It’s a HAF (Holiday, Activities and Food) programme, primarily targeted at children who are on free school meals and those with mild learning disabilities. The children get a whole day of football and a hot meal. It’s free of charge - we’re working with Bromley Children and Families Forum and Bromley Council on that project and very proud we can do it.
What do you most enjoy about living in the Bromley borough?
I’m very proud to be from Bromley and have lived all my life in Orpington. I love the community feel of the borough and this job has opened my eyes to the fantastic organisations that support people. I don’t see myself moving away at all.
And finally… tell us how it felt to be at Wembley and see the Bromley men’s team win the FA Trophy?
It was phenomenal and fantastic. I can’t express how proud I was of the players. I had the privilege of announcing the Bromley team to the Wembley crowd. The memories of the day will be treasured for a lifetime.
