HACKNEY CUP FOR HEALTH

We are launching a new borough wide tournament for the borough of Hackney to improve health and well being. 

Hackney is going through a huge regeneration project, especially the Hackney Wick area.  Some  groups are being left out, so as a Football Club we want to bridge the gap, especially across the A12 motorway towards the local estates where many of our players come from.

Hackney is one of only a few areas without a professional or semi professional club. There is a huge  potential to engage excellent players and generate thousands of fans for a borough led team which would encourage community togetherness under the banner of Hackney Wick Football Club.

Our existing membership is representative of the diversity of the area. Our members have mostly grown up on Hackney Wick estates and know the need for positive focus for young men, especially those who have missed opportunities and are not in work, education or training.

Many of our key members have experienced training and playing football as part of ambitious clubs. We know, first hand of the many benefits of this experience and are sure that men living in the Hackney Wick could experience similar benefits through involvement.

We have a good understanding of local needs because we have grown up locally and are in touch with a large number of young people living in the area who have told us that they are frustrated by the lack of sports and social activities available to them. In addition we have contacted local youth and community organisations who have told us about the priority to provide free and local opportunities for activities to promote wellbeing.  

We have developed our plan for the club having talked to lots of local people and members about the specific needs of people in the area. 

Our club offers free or low cost services in the times of austerity by helping people who have no money for recreation or sport to start or continue playing football.

We are aware that there is a higher level of mental ill health in Hackney than other areas and that young men, in particularly, young black men are at higher risk. Our football club is likely to recruit a very significant percentage of participants in these groups.We will be able to help players by providing a safe, stimulating activity which promotes good health and helps to steer potentially vulnerable people away from drugs, alcohol and risky behaviour.

It is well known that social isolation can have a serious negative impact on mental health. This is especially common in divided communities, like Hackney, where there is a big gap between groups which are doing well and those which are marginalised and struggling. Feeling part of a team helps players and supporters have a positive focus and feel like they belong to a community. This contributes, not only to promoting wellbeing for individuals but towards building a healthier, fairer and more resilient community

We aim to promote wellbeing for all through sport and participation for all our people, to welcome participants who may be vulnerable to mental distress and to increase resilience for all.

This is why we have launched the Hackney Cup for Health

Hackney Cup for Health will help to support Hackney residents' understanding of the importance of physical activity by getting them exercising in a fun tournament. It will also bring all of the borough together for some healthy competition!

As a community-owned Football club, we are passionate about helping to improve the quality of life for all our supporters and the wider community - so we wanted to create a project that is fun, easy to engage with, and that is open for EVERYBODY to play, no matter what level of football you are. There will be five categories for entry to the cup: 1. Veterans 40+, 2. Men's (over 16's), 3. Women (over 16's), 4. under 16 (boys), 5. under 16 (girls).

The tournament will take place at the Mabley Green AstroTurf pitches at Hackney Wick and will take place over two days, a weekend in the Summer.

It's time for the community to get together and celebrate a festival of fitness, wellbeing and inclusion for all.

https://www.spacehive.com/hackney-cup-for-health

Is this something that you would be interested in assisting us with? Promotion, spreading the word, pledging, etc. 

We would love to hear from you. 

Kind regards

Bobby Kasanga

Hackney Wick Football Club