West Ham United has today officially opened ‘The Foundry’, the Club’s award-winning Foundation headquarters in Beckton, Newham.
West Ham United Vice-Chair Baroness Karren Brady proudly cut the ribbon to formally declare the multi-million pound transformational community hub OPEN. The newly developed Foundation headquarters, ‘The Foundry’, will significantly increase the Club’s community footprint, enabling West Ham United to reach more than 60,000 people each year via 35 dedicated programmes catering for all ages and backgrounds. The new community hub will deliver £75m in social value in its first five years of operation.
Baroness Brady, joined by Foundation CEO Joseph Lyons addressed the 100-plus invited guests, including MPs, political leaders, community partners, representatives from the football world and Club ambassadors. Men’s First Team Head Coach Nuno Espirito Santo alongside Women’s Team counterpart Rehanne Skinner were on hand to take in The Foundry for the first time and learn more about the Foundation’s life changing work. Men’s First Team player Tomáš Souček, whose daughter attends sessions at The Foundry, was delighted to meet 100+ participants to mark the momentous occasion.
Guests were given a tour of the new hub, which will support up to 4000 community participants of all ages each week across education, employment, physical and mental health, social inclusion and a brand-new enterprise zone, inspiring future business leaders. The Foundry also includes health and wellbeing spaces, an outdoor gym and a brand-new welcoming kitchen and café, profits from which will go towards providing free meals for those in need – ensuring the Club’s legacy continues to be felt far beyond matchdays. This in addition to the Club’s programmes which extend across east London, Essex and internationally.
Core partners of the project were proudly on hand to celebrate the moment, they include The Football Foundation, City Bridge Foundation, Trust for London, and Charity Bank. Additionally, West Ham United Foundation’s proud Zone sponsors and funders were on hand to celebrate the Foundry opening which include The London Marathon Foundation, The Lord Mayors Appeal, our dedicated supporters and lifelong West Ham United fans, Anne Graham and Stephen Scobie, along with the Foundation’s network of Founding Patrons.
Several of the flagship programmes set to benefit from the multi-million-pound redevelopment of The Foundry were showcased throughout the day. These included ‘Healthier Happier Me’ – a collaborative initiative with the NHS designed to improve children’s nutrition and physical activity in response to rising childhood obesity rates. Also featured were football and education programmes developed in partnership with the Premier League and the PFA, which use the power of football to engage young people in learning. Enterprise projects aimed at fostering personal development were also highlighted, alongside the Foundation’s ‘Any Old Irons’ initiative, which promotes social inclusion and community connection across elderly West Ham supporters.
During the event, Baroness Brady proudly announced the launch of the West Ham United Night Shelter, which will see The Foundry provide a hot meal and a safe place to sleep every Saturday night, extending to nightly offering for a week during the Christmas period.
The all-encompassing day highlighted the Foundation vision to ‘harness the power of football to maximise life chances and inspire better futures for all’. The West Ham United Foundation has been supporting local charities, good causes and social support programmes for 30 years now, today’s landmark opening will help take that to the next level.
The name ‘The Foundry’ which was confirmed earlier this year, pays tribute to the Club’s proud origins as Thames Ironworks FC, a team founded in 1895 by workers of the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company. The company, based in Canning Town, was one of the most important and innovative shipbuilders of the 19th century, forging vessels for the Royal Navy and pioneering engineering of its time. Just as those ironworkers built ships that travelled the world, they also laid the foundations for a football club rooted in hard work, unity, and community spirit.
Speaking shortly after cutting the ribbon, West Ham United Vice-Chair Baroness Brady said:
“The Foundry represents exactly what we are – a community. A community that helps one another, supports one another and inspires one another.
“And what happens here really is just the tip of the iceberg – the impact of our community outreach work can be felt right across the capital and beyond – ensuring 60,000 individuals will benefit from our support each year.
“The Foundry is an inspirational environment, a triumph of innovation, dedication, and grit – all the values that West Ham United prides itself on.
“When we moved to our stadium, almost 10 years ago, we doubled down on our long-held commitment to serve our community and help fulfil London’s Olympic Legacy, across the capital and beyond – a genuine determination to tackle and solve the major problems impacting the people of London, and to illustrate exactly how a Premier League football club like West Ham United can be such a powerful force for good.”
West Ham United Foundation CEO, Joseph Lyons added:
“We’re proud to officially open The Foundry, our new community hub that brings to life our mission: to create lasting opportunities for all, grounded in trust, purpose and community. This space is more than a building; it is a catalyst for real and meaningful change, where lives across East London and beyond can be empowered and transformed.
“None of this would have been possible without the vision and commitment of our Club Board, and the steadfast support of our sponsors and funders the Football Foundation, Charity Bank, Trust for London, City Bridge Foundation – alongside our valued network of partners and patrons.
“Looking ahead, our ambition is clear: to grow further, broaden our reach and deepen our impact, ensuring The Foundry becomes a beacon of opportunity for generations to come.”
