How Hockey Futures Is Bringing The Sport To New Children

The charity Hockey Futures have launched a new outreach programme in Birmingham, to allow young people to pick up a hockey stick for the very first time.

Having relaunched late last year, Hockey Futures uses hockey to help young people strengthen their physical and mental health, working in communities who don’t traditionally play the sport.

These sessions are being run for young people aged 6-11 years, who face multiple disadvantages such as food poverty or substandard housing. The sessions are taking place in conjunction with the charity Free@Last and will be held at their community centre in Nechells, central Birmingham. The activity has also been aided by donations from the hockey family.

Adam Irvine from Free@Last explained: “There is a buzz amongst the young people about how hockey works. It’s not a sport they know much about which has intrigued them, so hopefully we can capitalise on this to give them a brilliant time where they have loads of fun, whatever their ability.

“The young people are amazing in spite of all the daily challenges they face. They just need people to believe in them and we’re so excited to host Hockey Futures.”

Fidelis Navas, Hockey Futures Director and member at Harborne HC added, “We think there is great potential for a national hockey charity to make a huge impact. Hockey is a gender neutral, wide age-range, mixed ability sport.

“In this pandemic-norm world, there is a great opportunity for our sport to help young people who have limited access to fitness-based fun and to gain from its many benefits.”

Following a hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the charity relaunched in November 2021 and is now actively seeking to fundraise in order to deliver a range of programmes across the country. This includes taking hockey to youth clubs, faith centres and running fun and safe hockey sessions in areas where hockey is not the usual sport. 

They will also support young adults who are not currently in training or employment to take up hockey coaching. Future plans include a bursary for juniors and setting up a youth advisory board, to not only support the strategic direction of the charity but also to be a voice for young people in hockey.

For more information see www.hockeyfutures.org  

If you would like to help straight away, please make a donation here. If you would like to speak to the charity about fundraising or specific projects, please contact admin@hockeyfutures.org