Community Matters brings you closer to the good work done by charity and community projects that use football as the core tool for delivering a service to the wider community that includes social improvement. We also spotlight the brilliant work done by footballers that often goes unnoticed. The power football holds to break boundaries and make a difference in our lives is staggering and all the stories you read here all deserve recognition and all our support to continue making a positive difference around the world and closer to home.
Alex Lawson caught up with Mesba Ahmed, founder and CEO of London Tigers, a community led project that grew from serving the local Bengali community in Westminster 25 years ago to a multi-faceted community service provider with football development as it’s heartbeat.
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From the Kenyan Premier League to the fishing communities of Lake Victoria in Uganda, few organisations use football for wider social change as far across Africa than English charity TackleAfrica. Alex Lawson takes a look at how it’s making a difference
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Charitable organisations network streetfootballworld has co-ordinated a newly launched initiative to help improve diets in Poland and the Ukraine ahead of next summer’s UEFA Euro 2012 championships.
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Unfortunately philanthropy and goodwill are often only spread after incredibly horrific circumstances. Alex Lawson looks at how a brutal attack from a far right group in Germany led to a defining moment in the history of Continental Star FC
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Urban Initiatives’ mission is to motivate children’s academic performance, healthy lifestyle and character development by tapping into their natural desire to run and play. Urban Initiatives’ flagship program is the Work to Play Soccer Program. The Program uses a child’s natural love of soccer, to provide youth development opportunities.
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In a week when the incident between John Terry and Anton Ferdinand has brought the ugly issue of racism in football to the forefront of the media, Alex Lawson takes a look at what Everton FC is doing to address the situation
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Alex Lawson finds out about Heart Research UK and its work with football clubs to help raise awareness and combat heart disease amongst hard to reach adults.
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It’s fair to say corporate banking giants and young under-privileged men in London are not groups that are the darlings of the media at present. But Alex Lawson looks at how a cash injection from Goldman Sachs may be just the impetus Greenhouse, the charity behind Bethwin FC, needs
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Following a successful first season, Flexi Football is back! We caught up with founder, Ben Hathaway on the progress made so far what we can expect this season as the fledgling business attracts more amateur footballers attracted by the non-committal way of playing 11-aside footy
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On Thursday two all star teams from sport, stage and screen meet to compete for the John Hartson Trophy in an England v Wales clash to raise awareness of testicular cancer. Community Matters finds out more about the Foundation set up by the Welsh striker after overcoming his close call with death.
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Utilising a network of 84 organisations in 59 countries, streetfootballworld’s initial idea was to unite organisations that use football as a tool for social development to give many separate local voices global power. Over the years this network has grown and is able to exchange knowledge, develop capacities, and gain greater visibility.
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With the 2011 tournament just days away, excitement is mounting around the kick-off of the Homeless World Cup in Paris. Alex Lawson takes a look at an event which has dramatically changed the lives of many of those participating
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