A Manchester football initiative which prides itself on diversity and inclusion has received £10,000 of National Lottery funding to help secure its friendly football and fitness sessions.
Happy Somedays FC has been awarded the grant by The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK. It will be used to continue providing free sessions to people struggling to afford a health and fitness routine, and opportunities for social interaction.
The group, based in Wythenshawe, has become a lifeline to scores of local people since it launched two years ago, including those with mental health issues, physical disabilities and those who feel shunned from other sporting groups due to their sexual orientation.
A women’s only session has also been set up, after the group found that there was a lack of opportunities for women to play mixed abilities football in the local area, despite the growth of the sport at a professional level.
The group was set up by Joe Farrar after he suffered a serious injury to his leg which put him out of the game. Desperate to get back on the pitch, he had the idea of inclusive football sessions, where other local men and women wouldn’t be put off because of their gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, or lack of ability.
Happy Somedays, which also provides other fitness sessions, including a walking group and badminton, uses an honesty box approach to help fund itself, but has seen donations tail off since the onset of the cost-of-living crisis.
Joe said: “Post-Covid it was pretty clear that a lot of people in the local community, as well as the wider Manchester community, were struggling financially. While we didn’t want people to feel that they couldn’t continue to take part in our sessions, relying on an honesty box became quite important as the cost-of-living crisis began to bite.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, we can continue to build upon the socially responsible model that we’ve created and support more people, while not having to worry about paying for the use of our pitch or losing it. We’ve now got a permanent home locally, where people know that they will be accepted, no matter their ability or circumstances, and where other community groups and charities can feel comfortable in their surroundings.”
Visually impaired Josh Deegan joined the sessions after struggling to find somewhere to play that provided the right support. He said: “A big thing for me is that I don’t get shouted at if I don’t see the ball or I pass to the opposite team, whereas this has been the case in other surroundings. It’s just nice to come along and play football with likeminded people without any pressure or feeling like I’m going to come away feeling angry and frustrated.”
