Football team

Football Fridays

Text
The football practice is a brilliant way to integrate with our tenants and do something outside work together. There are many benefits to playing team sports like improvement in health, fitness, learning how to work in a team, it can help boost self-esteem and discipline and reduce loneliness.

Every Friday a group of ACH Bristol staff and tenants get together in the evening to play a game of 6-a-side football at the St Pauls Sports Centre. This activity was organised by Tutor and Job Coach Jack, as a way to encourage relationships to be built outside of the working day and also as a fun evening playing sport.

So far, since the first practice on the 7th September 2018, it has been a success all round.

“Our Friday football is a great way for everyone to have some fun, do some exercise, and make friends. It’s something that both our tenants and staff can enjoy together socially. Everybody is welcome no matter their age/gender/ability etc. We have a fun, friendly atmosphere and a great team spirit. There are some very talented players so maybe one day we’ll form a proper competitive team!” says Jack Hinchliffe.

Nazim, from our Finance and HR team, explains more about the reasons why he has enjoyed getting involved: “Every year we enter a team during the refugee festival week football event. This year was the first time we won a match. The idea to start a 6-a-side practice every week was mentioned during this week and now it has actually started last month in September. A lot of staff attend on a weekly basis; Khalid, myself, Jack, Abdikarim, Abdirashid, Tomasz, Muktar and different tenants show up each week. The football practice is a brilliant way to integrate with our tenants and do something outside work together. There are many benefits to playing team sports like improvement in health, fitness, learning how to work in a team, it can help boost self-esteem and discipline and reduce loneliness. A very big thank you to ACH for funding this weekly activity and for Jack for initially finding a location and setting up a WhatsApp group for it.”

At ACH we actively encourage integration between refugees, staff and the community. Football is a great way to get people together in a healthily competitive situation. Thanks to Jack for taking the time to organise this activity.

If you would like to get involved or organise a similar event, please contact jack.hinchliffe@ach.org.uk.

Related content

weekly football matches between our staff and refugee and migrant tenants

Uniting Communities Through the Global Language of Football

Our Wolverhampton office has taken a unique approach - organising weekly football matches that bring our staff and tenant community together. After all, football is a universal language that unites us all.

Read more