Marcus Rashford inspires new community project at Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club

A new community project, inspired by England footballer Marcus Rashford, is offering children the chance to take part in football camps with Hemel Hempstead Football Club.

Community Interest Company ProFormance Pathways has teamed up with Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club to offer children who qualify for free school meals a place on their football camp, a warm meal, and enrichment activities during the Christmas school break.

Last year, under the tough circumstances families faced due to Covid-19, Marcus Rashford highlighted the underlying inequality and the plight of the poorest families.

ProFormance Pathways have taken that as an inspiration to try and support those families and step by step deliver projects that can have a positive impact in the community.

Funding was granted under the HAPpy project. This is where Hertfordshire County Council joined forces with the Herts Sports Partnership and the Hertfordshire Community Foundation, to organise a programme for the forthcoming Christmas school Holidays aimed at countering the triple inequalities facing Hertfordshire’s most disadvantaged young people – holiday hunger, physical inactivity and social isolation.

This is the continuation of lots of projects to help local people, regardless of socioeconomic status, get involved with football and personal development.

He said: "Marcus Rashford launched the holiday Hunger campaign which in turn put pressure on the government to extend free school meals into holidays, these projects are born from that government funding.

"We set up ProFormance Pathways in response to the pandemic, I am very passionate about supporting children’s experience within sport and feel that every child should have the opportunity regardless of there circumstances.

"The HAPpy project gives us the opportunity to offer free places and a free hot meal to children who may not be able to afford to attend which is amazing for us and I am very proud of the work we are doing."

Hemel Hempstead Town Football Club also run a U18 team where the squad members train and study full time at the clubs stadium on Vauxhall Road. Local young people can gain a scholarship to join for the U17 and U18 season.

If you are in year 11 and wish to join the team for next season, register your interest at www.hemelfc.com/under-18-s.