Neuro walking football session is now available to support people with mobility or neurological challenges to get back or continue playing football.
Here at Colchester United Football in the Community (CUFITC) we have recently launched a walking football session, for anyone who experiences a mobility or neurological challenges. This session provides an opportunity to incorporate low-level physical activity into particpants lives in a safe and inclusive manner. Our sessions are running on Wednesday mornings between 10.30am-11.30am at our community hub here at Shrub End Community Sports Centre. We caught up with one of our participants, Paul Nicholls, to hear why he takes part in these sessions.
Paul, without hesitation, agreed to share his story, as he felt it was important for other people to hear his story. When asked about his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Paul said: “In 2014, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, at the time, I shut myself away as I was so embarrassed with how I looked, how I felt, I thought my life had basically come to an end”. However, Paul found a coping method, he said: “I started to play football again, well, walking football to be precise, and I found that just for that hour, that I played football, I felt normal again, it felt like I didn’t have Parkinson’s anymore, I felt like a normal person”. This is the reason why he wanted to share his story as Paul thought: “If it could have that effect on me, it could have the same effect on other people as well”.
Paul, along with a few friends, have set themselves a mission to try and get walking football available to as many people as they can. Paul was influential in the funding bid for this programme, as he came to Colchester United Football in the Community with the idea to start a session here with us. Paul finished off by saying: “If you want to get yourself out of the house and get playing again, then come and join us on Wednesday’s, 10:30-11:30 in the mornings, you are going to love it!”.
If you would like to watch the video, which features another one of our participants, Ian McDermott, then please follow the social media links below:
Twitter link - CLICK HERE
Facebook link - CLICK HERE
To sign up for Neuro Walking Football, please follow the Class4Kids link to sign up!
Link to sign up - CLICK HERE
If you would like further details please contact Ed King – edward.king@colchesterunited.net