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Substance Conference October 2010
In an age of public spending constraint Substance’s third National Conference will put the ‘Big Society’ in focus for those concerned with young people, positive activities and community regeneration.

All Nations Summer League
WIDENING THE FOOTBALL FAMILY

Whilst most Londoners will have their eyes focussed on the World Cup games in South Africa this June, a few teams will be preparing for their own chance at glory in the All Nations Summer League. The players’ skills, experience and wages may not equate with those of Messi, Drogba or Rooney, but their passion for the game and commitment to win will be world class. With FIFA catering for the elite players this summer the London Playing Fields Foundation will be providing competitive opportunities for grassroots teams.

LPFF launched its All Nations Football programme in 2001 to provide refugee and other disenfranchised groups in London with their first experience of playing football in an organised structure. A one day festival and eight week Summer League are provided free of charge for groups that demonstrate a commitment to developing their team. Over time the project has widened its remit to welcome participants from community groups who, for a number of reasons, have not been able to access mainstream affiliated football.

Two hundred teams from over one hundred different organisations have played in the one day tournaments and Summer Leagues, with many of them making the step up to mainstream affiliated competitions. In addition to the football competitions the project provides teams with the opportunity to access coaching and refereeing courses so that their team members can attain qualifications enabling them to secure voluntary positions or paid employment. During the past nine years ninety-four coaches and fifty-three referees have been funded to achieve their first qualification.

In order to assist teams to make the step up to affiliated football the London Communities Football League was established in 2004 with a league committee comprising team representatives and members of the project Steering Group. Ninety-seven teams have played over the seven seasons with seventy-three teams completing their full fixture list. The league plays its matches on Sunday afternoons at a central venue in Walthamstow.

Clapton Park Rangers is just one club that used the All Nations project to help establish itself in affiliated football. The club was formed by a number of Level 1 football coaches who formed the nucleus of the team with the objective of becoming a successful side and providing role models for local young people. They had no financial backing or experience of organised football but entered All Nations Summer League in 2006. At the end of the eight week competition the club decided to join the Hackney & Leyton Sunday League and they have subsequently developed a second team playing in The East London Sunday League and a successful Under 12 team. In 2008 the first team won the London Junior Cup and followed that by winning the London Intermediate Cup in 2009.

None of this would have been possible without the first step up provided by The All Nations Football programme. Mark Whyte, the manager and main organiser, said: “It was a brilliant introduction into organised football and the support was second to none. When we entered mainstream competitive football we were prepared as a consequence. The funding course really helped us get set up on a proper footing.”

The All Nations programme is currently recruiting teams for the Summer League 2010 which will commence on 12th July once the World champions have been crowned. If you would like to receive further information about the project or an application form please contact Jo McKenzie at LPFF on 020 7713 8684 or jo.mckenzie@lpff.org.uk.

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