A West London NHS Trust community football wellbeing project delivered in partnership with QPR in the Community Trust, Footie Addicts and Everyone Active, has been supporting service users and community members to significantly improve their mental and physical wellbeing, through culturally-sensitive therapeutic and competitive football games.
Football for Wellbeing was launched in July last year, to address mental health challenges, social isolation and health inequalities, through playing football and making human connections.
Today, one month shy of the project’s first birthday, they’ve delivered more than 60 football sessions, and attendees have reported a more than 80 percent improvement in their mental and physical health, and in areas such as:
· Confidence and self esteem
· Sleep, energy and concentration
· Social skills and relationships
· Reduced stigma and smoking habits
“I have complex mental health difficulties and I’m also a football enthusiastic,” said Z, a woman who attends their mixed gender sessions. “I only felt safe and protected in the WLT Football for Wellbeing sessions to come back for the second time, and even more, become a regular. I cannot express how happy I am and feeling better mentally these days.”
The sessions are free and open to everyone over the age of 18, living in West London. No experience of playing football is needed, and people can be referred by a professional like a GP or social worker, or they can refer themselves. The project runs sessions for men only, women only and mixed-gender sessions.
“After, they all say ‘we don’t feel socially isolated’”
When Babak Rafiei, Senior Peer Support Worker founded the project, he couldn’t have imagined the impact it would have.
“Every week we see people in the community improving their physical and mental wellbeing through playing football and being physically active. Football gives them a sense of purpose, belonging, and social connection. I’m able to say 100 percent of them feedback ‘We don’t feel socially isolated,’” said Babak.
Freddie, a regular attendee agrees.
“I came here because I have been going through some mental health difficulties for the last two years and I thought to give it a go and see what it’s about, and that’s how I started coming here,” he said.
“The host was very nice and that’s why I continued coming. It’s nice to come to a place where I didn’t know anyone, no one knows you and you start from zero, little by little, and especially if you have a bunch of nice lads just playing football and the host making a good effort to make everyone feel welcome,” said Freddie.
Research shows that playing football can improve our mental health, increasing our supply of serotonin, the hormones that make us happy, improving confidence and reducing social isolation among other things.
Babak knows this first hand. He was inspired by his own experience of using football to improve his mental health, and wanted to help others, particularly those who might shy away from mainstream health services.
“Medication is not the only solution. Football gave me my life back and now it’s doing the same for others,” said Babak.
“I see people who, after six to seven sessions, say they’re going to see their doctor and ask to reduce their medication or sign out of services they’ve used for years.”
‘Anyone can play’
After proposing the idea to his managers, Babak embarked on the project with no money.
But he remained unfazed.
He made use of his personal and professional connections, initially securing backing from QPR’s charity arm, QPR in the Community.
Football for Wellbeing began with Babak running male only games at the QPR’s Powerleague pitch in Shepherd’s Bush.
In under a year, Footy Addicts and Everyone Active have joined the partnership, and Babak now has a team of volunteers delivering four games a week, with men only, women only and mixed gender sessions, at pitches in Paddington, Shepherd’s Bush and Westminster.
“It’s something I look forward to every week. I really enjoy them (the games) since I started coming,” said Luther, a regular attendee, who is now training and playing competitively for a team.
“Coming out of lockdown was a really lonely time for everyone, and I stopped playing football for three years, so to come back and play here, and it’s very relaxed and calm, it’s nice, it’s good. Anyone can play, whatever their level it doesn’t matter. It’s very relaxed and nice, it’s just a good time. I’d recommend it to anybody,” said Luther.
No one left behind
The response to the project has been overwhelming, with community demand driving its rapid growth.
Since its inception, Football for Wellbeing has received more than 160 referrals, with many coming directly from people in the community asking for support to prevent mental health crises. To manage demand, the team prioritises referrals from service users, with remaining slots going to community members, in a 50-50 split.
Data shows that 42 percent of referrals are made for preventing mental health crises, 41 percent from people with mental health difficulties, and 13 percent from people with physical health concerns. Only 4 percent of referrals are from people with no health concern.
Many of the people who attend these sessions are from ethnic minority groups. And Babak said this is because they provide a safe, inclusive social space where everyone is welcome, even if they may not be able to play.
“Our team administrator is a young man with a medical condition autism. We find meaningful roles for everyone, and make sure no one is left behind. People who feel excluded from other clubs are welcome and respected here. We also proactively reach out to underserved communities, and those who might avoid clinical settings due to stigma or cultural barriers,” said Babak.
As the projects marks its first birthday, it’s clear that everyone involved is winning. Football for Wellbeing has been accredited with the Westminster Active Mark Plus, showing that it delivers quality physical activity, leisure and/or sport activities and meets a range of quality standards set by Westminster Council’s Sports Leisure and Active Communities service.
The project still runs on minimal funding, and each time they prevent someone from having a mental health crisis or requiring intensive NHS support, it saves the NHS thousands of pounds. Volunteers are supported to gain free coaching qualifications through the England Football Association, and service users are supported in the community when discharged from NHS services, and to prevent mental health deterioration or crises.
