‘Kids can’t play on an empty stomach’: The football charity helping disadvantaged Londoners

For the 90 minutes that children frequent the pitch at a Bloomsbury Football session, they leave their worries behind. For 13-year-old Shola, a goalkeeper, the group has been a balm since their father Damian Jones had to give up his work in security in the wake of Shola and a sibling moving in with him, rendering paid-for after-school activities unaffordable.

Damian, who lives in Wembley, said the rise in the cost of living has hit him hard. “My heating costs have doubled,” he said. “I’ve had to cut back on everything. I saved every penny I could to get Shola’s birthday present but we have no money left for Christmas presents.”

Bloomsbury Football works with around 5,000 children a week across London, many from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds, promoting their physical and mental wellbeing. “Football has enabled Shola to be more sociable and to more effectively communicate and mingle with peers,” said Damian. “It’s been extremely beneficial.”

The charity is one of those eligible to benefit from our On the Breadline Christmas appeal in partnership with The Childhood Trust, which funds groups helping disadvantaged children in London. Our joint appeal with sister title the Evening Standard has also partnered with Comic Relief.

Under Bloomsbury Football’s financial assistance model, families like Damian’s are eligible for subsidised or free places to play football. The charity also helps with the cost of kit and runs schemes for groups who might not otherwise take part, such as those with disabilities or refugees.

Founder Charlie Hyman said that around two-thirds of children coming to their sessions outside school receive financial assistance.

“It is worrying how many parents have called up over the last few weeks saying their child can’t come to the holiday programme unless there is a meal provided because they can’t afford to provide it,” he said. “Children can’t play on an empty stomach so now we are providing hot nutritious meals at all our holiday programmes.”

Another sign of the cost-of-living toll is the rise in parents who say they are struggling even to afford the subsidised £2 session rate. The charity has further cut the cost to £1, but this will put pressure on the charity’s budgets.

Mr Hyman said: “I think in months to come we will see new children joining with even greater need and we are going to get squeezed as a charity. The biggest worry is how long does this go on for? Does it get worse? Are we just at the start of this?”

Bloomsbury Football operates across eight boroughs, with the majority of participants from Camden, Westminster and Islington. More than half are from BAME backgrounds. It has also seen a surge in its girls teams, bolstered by the Lionesses’ victory at the Euros.

Josh Arnold, who runs the charity’s academy for skilled players, said sport has a power in bringing children from all walks of life together and fostering key life skills.

“The team I was coaching last season had some better-off players in the academy playing alongside refugees who’d just arrived,” he said. “They could barely speak English but within six months they were best friends and speaking perfect English.”

Some players in the academy go on to professional teams such as West Ham, Watford or Crystal Palace, but the main aim is that children develop life skills and achieve whatever personal ambitions they might have.

Mr Arnold said: “Sport can remove worries from anyone’s life for as long as they’re on the pitch. The moments they create where they are one team and they’re having a laugh - you can’t replicate that.”

Our Christmas campaign in a nutshell

Our Cost of Living Christmas Appeal, On the Breadline, has partnered with Comic Relief and The Childhood Trust, a charity that helps children in poverty in London.

Donations made into our partnership with The Childhood Trust will be given out in grants to organisations that help children in poverty in London.

Donations made into our partnership with Comic Relief will go to organisations across the UK (including London) helping people on the breadline of all ages cope with the cost of living.

How you can help

To help children affected by the cost of living crisis who live in London, donate here.

To help children and communities affected by the cost of living crisis wherever they live in the UK, donate here.