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 Charity community life for well over a century. It is by nature a social activity that brings us together, whether as players or spectators.
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.
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.
The Crew Club’s Hawks Heroes programme was a 10-week communitybased 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.
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.
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Hawks Heroes Case Study
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: •2 0 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. •7 4% 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
