Football and friendship are inextricably linked – and Briton Ferry Llansawel is celebrating new funding that will ensure one of its community initiatives can continue for at least the next two years.
They have been awarded a grant by the National Lottery Awards for All Fund, meaning the Community Reds’ Football Friendship Club ‘The Beautiful Game’ can carry on and expand.
The monthly group developed initially as an online meeting as a way to reduce isolation during the pandemic allows people from the community to meet up in person, chat and discuss all things football-related while making friends in a safe, welcoming environment.
And this new funding means that Briton Ferry will be able to develop the project to host sessions at other clubs and venues around the area.
The idea is to promote social inclusion, general wellbeing and maybe even offering some volunteering opportunities along the way.
Stuart Williams, the project coordinator and the club’s general manager, couldn’t be more delighted.
“It’s brilliant,” he says, adding that other community projects in the area such as walking football have started to link up with the social sessions.
“We’ve got a club minibus, and we want to go out to other clubs in the area, and the group can look at their scrapbooks, the history in their clubs as well, and bring in attendees who support them – then maybe they can run sessions themselves.
“We can benefit the people in the immediate area for all these clubs. I can’t wait to get started.”
