Hull FC Community Foundation

Funded through the Tackling Loneliness programme, Hull FC Community Foundation’s project, ‘Part of the Team’, utilised personal development, social, and wellbeing activities for members of the Armed Forces and their families to reduce isolation and loneliness.

The project involved a three-dimensional, community-based approach aimed at helping those Veterans who were struggling with loneliness and isolation as well as other comorbid issues to receive bespoke support to help reduce isolation and loneliness.

To help illustrate the impact of this project, James Price, Head of Hull FC, Community Foundation shared this story with us:

Barry, an 83-year-old Veteran, found out about the programme ‘Part of the Team’, through the Foundation’s work with the Armed Forces Community Hub in Hull. He attended the weekly coffee morning and cook house sessions, as well as volunteering. Upon meeting Barry, the Foundation learnt that he had been extremely affected by the Covid pandemic. Like a lot of people, he found himself isolated during the pandemic and sadly lost his wife to Covid-19 after a short stay in hospital.

Barry said of the project: “My whole world changed when I lost my wife, so I started attending the Veteran’s coffee mornings every Wednesday which has really helped me with my mental health. I guess it fills a gap in my life. Without the Veteran’s coffee mornings, I’d be sat about at home doing nothing. It’s good to speak to other Veterans and hear their stories, I’ve made new friends at the coffee morning and its now one of the highlights of my week. Cook house has been great, and I can’t thank the Foundation enough for the support they have given me to be involved. I love cooking, and updating my qualifications has been good too. I even cooked for some of the players which was great. I love being able to plan menus, teach other Veterans to cook and feel great seeing some people take food away from the sessions and knowing they will be having a good meal that night. I’m so happy the Hull FC can continue this programme”.

Feedback from beneficiaries like *Barry have helped to inform the continuation of the ‘Part of the Team’ project, through the Tackling Loneliness Continuation programme which aims to provide bespoke interventions, to empower Forces and Veteran personnel at high-risk of loneliness and other inequalities with greater emotional resilience and improved physical wellbeing. Forces families, young people, and older Veterans will access physical activity, group learning, and other holistic activities that instil social connections.

The Tackling Loneliness Continuation Programme will help sustain current, and develop new, approaches that secure better long-term health and social outcomes for beneficiaries and will include activities for Armed Forces families, young people, and older Veterans to help them build physical and mental resilience.

James Price said this of the project, “As Head of Hull FC Community Foundation, I am immensely proud of every colleague, volunteer, partner, and Veteran who has contributed to the success of the ‘Part of the Team’ project over the last two years.

Established during the pandemic period, the approach was simple; to use the power of rugby league to connect with Veterans facing challenges with loneliness and social isolation and offer personalised support that instilled them with the skills, confidence, and knowledge to reconnect with their peers and community.

It has been great to hear the stories of success, and in-particular how ‘Part of the Team’ has inspired Veterans to overcome both personal and shared challenges to create new, sustainable activities for all to enjoy.

For us an organisation, having the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues at the Armed Forces
Covenant Fund through the Impact Fund has been very useful. It has enabled us to reflect on our approach, understand what we are good at and, most importantly, where we can improve. I’m looking forward to taking these learnings forward into future activities focused on improving the lives of our armed forces and Veteran community”.