Football is helping homeless people re-build their lives.
The North-East Homeless Football Initiative uses the power of the game to boost the confidence, focus and fitness of participants
Initial sessions in Chester-le-Street, Gateshead, Sunderland, and Hartlepool attracted more than 100 people.
According to Housing News:
North East Athletic, a charity that uses sport to help addicts, is running the 18-month scheme with the support of Tees Valley Leisure.
It is funded by Sport England and SPORTA, a national initiative that backs social enterprises
Twice-weekly football sessions are run by volunteers who are former addicts or have been homeless.
North East Athletic secretary Mal Maclean said: “We support anyone who’s homeless now or who has been homeless in the last three years.
“Some of those involved are sleeping rough on the street, but they represent a minority of those classified as homeless.
“Others are living in hostels or are being supported by a housing project, have no settled address or are what’s called sofa-surfing, which means they are sleeping on the couches of friends – they are the hidden homeless.
“The reasons they’ve ended up homeless are wide-ranging and complex, but many lost their jobs and homes during the economic downturn, whilst others left home due to family friction and find themselves with nowhere to go.”
The initiative is open to men and women aged 18 or over.