Free Summer football and food days at Mansfield Park

HCA have funded the project, open for local young people 7-15 years to go every Friday in August to Mansfield park on the Hamp estate, for 4 hours of football fun and food.

Cllr Leigh Redman, local resident and Secretary of HCA said: “We were so excited to be be able to help the young people with fitness and some food, holiday hunger is an important subject most people don’t understand, and is made worse in this cost of living crisis, it is not just a benefits issue, we find that it’s often the families where both parents are working hard that are hit hardest.

“For one day a week we wanted to help, young people can come along between 3-7, register and take part in football fun, the team from BUCST will break for snacks and then have access to a meal at the end, they can eat together or take it home, no questions asked.”

“HCA meet monthly at the hub on Rhode lane, first Wednesday of each month at 1900hrs, anyone in our community can come along to help locally."

Sarah Murry from BUCST explained: “working with the HCA on Mansfield helps us help with activities and food in an area of our town that might need a little boost during the holidays, Bridgwater United are committed to help the communities that support our teams, the Lionesses big win has raised the profile of woman's football, something we love too, this project will help us to support boys and girls, to gain football and team skills as well as fitness, at the same time giving parents a bit of help too.

“This project and others fits with our vision as a club, Bridgwater United Community Sports Trust, in partnership with Bridgwater United FC, aims to provide all members of the local community with the opportunity to access quality sport, physical activity, and wellbeing provision whatever their age, gender or ethnicity. Whilst using football as the driving force we aim to increase participation in schools, improve health and wellbeing, with programmes that engage the whole of the community.”