It was the post-lockdown era of 2021 and a few rebellious characters of a local sports club in South Barnsley, Wombwell Main FC, decided to gather at the grounds.
This gathering soon turned into a new initiative known as Wombwell Main FC Walking Football, aimed at bringing the community together through sport.
“We knew we weren’t really supposed to be here,” explained Paul Kay, the club’s assistant manager. “It was the end of a lockdown though, and we were social distancing, so we decided to congregate here because we’re a close bunch and some of us lived alone – so it had been a hard time. This led us to start our journey with Wombwell Main FC Walking Football.”
Before long, Kay spotted someone with a lanyard walking across the pitch, bodies scattered to hide and he was left to face the woman.
“She looked official,” he continued. “I assumed she was from the local council, I thought we were in trouble.”
It turned out, Tracy Hughes was from the nationwide charity Age UK and happened to be driving past when she saw the men on the football pitch.
“She told us Age UK had launched a new initiative – a walking football programme – she asked if we would take part. She explained some older people were losing their speech as a result of isolation so we agreed to give it a go.”
Wombwell Main FC Walking Football
Launched in 2021, Age UK’s Walking Football Programme was designed to engage older people, particularly those from underrepresented communities, to increase physical activity and tackle social isolation.
Even after the programme ended in 2023, over 69 per cent of walking football clubs continue to operate, with Wombwell Main’s still going strong.
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“It’s changed my life,” said club member Jed Silcock, whose story was captured by the club on social media channel TikTok and has been viewed by more than half a million people online in just a few weeks. “My wife Phylis passed in March and it was a terrible shock. I took her to hospital on the Monday and by Thursday she was gone. It turned my world upside down, we had been married 63 years.”
It was Phylis who wanted Jed to explore walking football. “It was one of the last conversations we had, she had heard this bloke talking about it years back and she used to nag me to go” he said.
“I’m 83 and three quarters, and I was a bit arrogant, you see. I used to play at the top level and I thought it was beneath me. I was wrong.”
With his daughters’ encouragement he eventually joined Wombwell Main’s Saturday morning walking sessions…
CONTINUE READING at source: https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/how-walking-football-transformed-the-lives-of-locals-at-wombwell-main-fc-5488229
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Author: The Walking Football
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