Sheffield Wednesday: Football club tackles isolation by serving annual Christmas dinner to over 500 people

Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme invited vulnerable members of the community as well as local councillors, charities and partners for a meal at Hillsborough Stadium this week.

The club’s charitable arm offers programmes such as health and wellbeing and youth and integration.

Jonny Gilberthorpe, participation manager at Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme, said: “We deliver physical education in primary schools and use the power of the Sheffield Wednesday badge to engage young people in education.

“I’ve helped out today in the kitchen handing out meals. There are people laughing and music, I think it improves people’s mental health to be out speaking to other people and connecting. As staff it gives us the opportunity to see some of the participants and give back.

“They can hopefully physically see that we are here to help the community.

“I was just having a bit of a laugh and a joke with someone inside who is a Blades supporter. Obviously it’s not all people who are Sheffield United fans and not necessarily all people who love football.

“I think it’s really important to give people that step up to integrate with society, education and employment. And then hopefully, people stepping foot in that door today, it might just give them the gateway to access further opportunities and better their lives.”

Bonnie is a community champion at Tesco Savile Street and was invited to enjoy a Christmas dinner at the stadium yesterday.

She said: “Events like this have a massive impact on the community. Some people can’t get out and don’t have any friends. It’s important to bring them out in the community and give them someone to talk to.

“It’s great to bring Sheffield Wednesday supporters together and there is definitely a community aspect to football. To be able to meet some of the team and players is brilliant.”

James Shaw, marketing and communications manager for Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme, said: “For years now we have been giving back and helping members of the community.

“We’ve been running this community lunch annually for the past couple of years. We have two sittings meaning it has a really big capacity. A lot of people are always really interested in coming and need a lot of support at this time of year.

“It’s open to the community for people who need a warm meal. We also have a lot of our partners who we have worked with over the year such as Weston Park Cancer Charity and participants of our football sessions.

“It’s a lunch to give back to everyone we have worked with over the year. We have some fantastic prizes in our raffle, some great gifts and lots of fun entertainment.

“Our participants have been really grateful. Some have been massive Owls fans their whole lives but never had a chance to get to the stadium. Being able to get them down here for free and celebrate the year has been brilliant.

“We are happy to give back no matter what the cost is. We started with 250 people at each sitting and we have had more people join.

“We have another event on December 23 in our education hub next to the megastore. Again that is a community activity day so we will start with a wellbeing walk and then have some free food and activities. This is free to anyone and there will be free chips with lots of toppings!”

For more information on Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme visit https://www.swfccp.co.uk/