Volunteers Sought For Liverpool Homeless Football Club

Our lovely friends over at Liverpool Homeless Football Club are looking for new volunteers to aid training and match day sessions for the arrival of their new football season.

Volunteering at LHFC includes physical elements, such as training and refereeing, as well as catering skills such as preparing meals and serving cups of tea during and after the match for the players and spectators. Founded in 2007, the organisation is an FA-chartered club which aims to help people local to Liverpool with homelessness, mental health or drug issues, as well as many more.

LHFC’s aim is to provide the men and women of Merseyside free access to sports activities in a safe non-judgemental environment. Through harnessing the popularity of sport they create a trusting support network, which can give their members a framework to follow, that can help them rebuild their lives. It can also allow them to fulfil their own potential.

With their motto of #morethanjustfootball they use football as the activity to allow engagement, inclusion, camaraderie, team-building, networking, positive mental health, confidence building, health advice and self-esteem issues with people who need support. They offer training opportunities, sports sessions and general health and well-being events, that all encourage community involvement and cohesion.

John Finnigan, Chief Executive Officer at LHFC, told JMU journalism: “[LHFC] is football to engage with homeless people, get them out of the hostels and is a way to look at their mental health, education and training. It’s about bringing people together, getting them out of the hostels and social isolation. They come along and have a game of football and something to eat and just make new friends.”

Finnigan added: “I wish there was no homelessness, but unfortunately there is, and it’s on the increase, so we are providing an essential service.”

The club, which has teams for both men and women, works in partnership with several large organisations, including Liverpool City Council, The Big Lottery Fund and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services. Match days for LHFC are based at Power League Liverpool, located in Kirkdale.

LHFC are based at 151 Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2AH. For more information, you can ring them on 0151 237 3986, email info@liverpoolhomelessfootballclub.com or go to their website www.liverpoolhomelessfootballclub.com