The initiative started back in 2014 at the Manchester Tennis and Football Centre, where it’s sessions still take place to this day.
Walking football is a modified version of traditional football, specifically designed to be played at a walking pace.
This adaptation allows for broader participation, with the primary goal being to address challenges such as social isolation and improving health and well-being.
Walking football not only keeps participants physically active but also offers a space to form friendships, which is vital for individuals who may otherwise feel isolated.
Commenting on his time over the last 10 years, one participant, Barney said: “My wife died ten years ago, I had nothing to do in the house. I saw an advert one day, came down and I’ve been here every Tuesday ever since. I absolutely love it!”
Since 2019 CITC has worked with 293 unique participants, a number that has continued to grow each year, with a record 201 unique participants taking part in walking football in the charity’s 2023/2024 reporting year.
CITC’s Walking Football sessions take place two days a week, on a Tuesday and a Friday at Manchester Tennis and Football Centre.
Barry, another participant said: “Walking football has had a massive impact on my life. I retired, I thought, what can I do now? I found walking football here at City and I’ve done it ever since.
“I’ve even ended up playing for England’s Walking Football team through playing here at City.”
CITC also hold Women’s Walking Football sessions on a Tuesday night at the City Football Academy.
Sessions also take place on Fridays for both men and women at the Manchester Football and Tennis Centre.
Want to join CITC’s Walking Football programme? Simply turn up and join in!
If you would like to support CITC and its work, you can do so through the CITC Prize Draw which offers fans around the world* the opportunity to get their hands on signed player shirts, match tickets, cash prizes and much more each month for just £5 a ticket.
To enter the draw or find out more information, visit: www.mancity.com/citcprizedraw
City in the Community empowers healthier lives with city youth through football. To find out more, visit www.mancity.com/citc or follow @citcmancity.
*Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Cambodia, Qatar, Lebanon, and North Korea are the only excluded countries from the prize draw.
