Quedgeley Walking Football
Walking football is a great way to get active and take part in a competitive sport with people who have mixed abilities.
The rules are simple – no kicking the ball above head height and you always have to have one foot in contact with the ground. You can move at your own pace and choose a position on the pitch that suits your playing style.
Quedgeley Walking Football is run with the help of Joe. Up to twenty people arrive at their pitch in Quedgeley every week to play for an hour on their outdoor astro-turf. The minimum age is usually 50, but Joe explained that it was quite difficult to get a full team together so they have had to be flexible on that front, with people of all ages playing together on a weekly basis.
They applied for a Small Sparks grant which encourages people to come together to take part in an activity everyone can enjoy, no matter what age or ability level they are at. The money they received went towards purchasing a kit for each member of the team.
“It's not just a practical piece of clothing - it actually unites people as a team... it gives you a sense of togetherness.“
The team have regular socials and try to get everyone together for a drink afterwards. They started with just 3 people and have gradually grown to the numbers they have now.
The whole team is keen to promote the club to everyone in the community: “The other thing that we’ve considered is trying to find people who maybe have got depression problems or are at home or carers, I myself am a full-time carer so it gives me an outlet once a week to get involved.
Joe said “As long as everyone enjoys it and keeps coming, we keep going.”
About Small Sparks grants
The Small Sparks fund has been created to help small groups of people throughout Gloucestershire to get together to do something they enjoy and make a difference to where they live.
You might need gardening equipment to grow vegetables together, books or wool to get a club going, or wool and knitting needles for a group you are already a part of.
You can apply for a grant of up to £250 if you can show us that:
- At least one of you wanting to enjoy the activity has a disability or is an older person who would like to make more friends
- There are at least four people involved in total
- Everyone is prepared to contribute their time, energy and talents.
For more information about Small Sparks, visit our grants page or contact grants@barnwoodtrust.org