By Liv Woolf
A man who ended up getting a job after joining Leicester City’s football in the community sessions is urging others to see how it can help them.
Leicester City FC holds free football sessions for individuals to join, with the aim of opening opportunities for people and bringing the community together.
Coach Shaun Hunt at first just joined as one of the players taking part in the club’s community sessions.
“It helped me, allowing me to be a part of a community and offering me a job,” he said.
He added: “It helped bring the community together, giving opportunities and supporting youths in better decisions.”
Shaun explained when the scheme first started, it struggled to get people to join in, however slowly they got more and more people.
“We are very successful now,” he said, “we just struggle sometimes in winter due to the cold months and people not necessarily wanting to be outside.”
The social football sessions take place every Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the New Parks Cruyff Court. Tuesdays are for 25+ and 35+ age groups and Thursdays are for 14 to 18-year-olds. Fridays and Sundays are dedicated to mental health meetings at the cafe.
The club believes in the importance of improving people’s physical and mental wellbeing through playing football, but also because the sessions focus on getting people together to have fun, talk and exercise in a fun environment.
It also sets up charity events such as tournaments to help donate money to causes such as the Adam Redfern memorial tournament in May.
The organisation also has women only clubs for those who prefer not to be mixed, which take place all over Leicester.
To find out more, visit the official Leicester City football club website.
