Grays Athletic Walking Football Club are supporting over 50’s to become more active by getting involved in a game of walking football. As part of Active Essex’s ‘Find Your Active: Move for Your Mind’ campaign, we thought we would highlight how great this club is and how inspiring they are in helping older adults stay active and social. As well how they are supporting people’s mental wellbeing through physical activity.
About the club
This club is part of the wider Grays Athletic family. It includes a youth team, a senior football club and a football and fitness group. The walking football club was created to offer older adults a more inclusive way to stay active and social through a slower paced version of the well-loved game. The club is based at Lakeside sports ground and are the only club offering this sport in the area. They welcome players of all abilities and encourage both men and women to come down and give it a go.
With recently being featured on Phoenix Radio, the club was able to share the positive impact that walking football is having on the community and their lives. When we went down last month to pay the club a visit, one member explained to us that taking part in this sport:
“keeps you mentally focused and you forget about any problems whilst playing.”
With plans to expand and enter more competitions, Gray’s Athletic Walking Football Club are looking to welcome new players. So they can continue to build a strong, supportive community through movement.
Mental Wellbeing & Social Connection
The Walking Football Club’s weekly sessions offer the members a chance to reconnect with others in a fun and positive environment. Its more than a way to get active but to also support mental health and build great friendships. The regular sessions help reduce isolation, allows teamwork and boosts everyone’s mood on the pitch.
Bill, a member from the team said:
“It’s something to look forward to every week, you get a lot of support from other people your own age that you wouldn’t normally meet.”
This reflects everything in Active Essex’s ‘Find Your Active: Move for Your Mind’ campaign. It shows how movement, no matter how big or small, can have a huge influence on your mental wellbeing.
The club is committed to being affordable and inclusive to all. This is why each session is priced at £6.50. However thanks to the Find Your Active Thurrock FLC activity booklet, anyone who finds the club through this, is granted a special discounted rate of £5. This not only helps more people take part in the club but also enables new members to find and join them. It’s a great way to make physical activity more accessible to everyone in the community.
Steve, a team member from the club expressed that:
“When you retire and you stop sport, there’s a massive gap in your life and this fills it.”
How to Get Involved
The Walking Football Club is eager to grow its community and is always actively looking for new members to join their team. By recruiting more players, they will be able to enter more competitions and continue to expand across Thurrock. This is a great opportunity to get involved, connect with others and stay active whilst doing so. If you are in the local area and looking to try something new, then walking football could be the perfect fit for you. You can find out more about the club by visiting their website here.
Through the ‘Find Your Active: Move for Your Mind’ campaign, we are proud to highlight groups like this who are making a difference to the community. Whether you may be walking or cheering from the sidelines, there’s always a way for you to get involved. You may even know someone that could benefit from a low impact and welcoming way to get moving. This is your sign to give it a go!
Find your moment, Find Your Active, and move for your mind here.
