West Ham United Football Club has launched the Players’ Project, the most ambitious and integrated community programme ever created by a Premier League Club. 

First team players from both the men and women’s teams will become an ambassador for an area of community work. They will work on projects that are important to them personally, as part of our commitment to creating opportunities, delivering a sporting legacy and changing lives in the community.

Crucially, these projects will deliver tangible, measurable results that show West Ham United really is making a difference to the community who support us in London Stadium

West Ham United is committed to diversity and equality and raising awareness of issues throughout society.

The Club has been awarded an Intermediate Equality Standard by the Premier League and is currently working towards Advanced level.

West Ham regularly engage and deliver in conjunction with external campaign organisations such as Stonewall, Show Racism the Red Card and Kick It Out.

The Club has also put in place a comprehensive programme of staff equality training.

West Ham United is committed to hiring and developing young members of staff, many of whom hail from the local community.

One-fifth of the Club’s full-time workforce were apprentices in summer 2018, with a target to increase this to one-third of the workforce by the end of the 2018/19 season.

Nearly 300 apprentices aged 16-47 have been engaged and mentored since 2013, with many achieving a range of qualifications to set them up for successful careers.

West Ham United’s move to London Stadium in summer 2016 has given the Club the opportunity to create thousands of jobs for local people.

More than 2,000 people are employed at London Stadium in full and part-time positions and more than 500 are employed by West Ham United and the West Ham United Foundation on the London Living Wage.

With nearly 500 young people from a wide range of backgrounds engaged in the Foundation’s Employability Pathway and Leadership Through Sport and Business Programme, West Ham United is helping build successful careers.

West Ham United’s Any Old Irons project has engaged more than 200 local residents over the age of 65, helping them to make new friends and share stories and experiences in the company of each other and former players.

The scheme was introduced by the Foundation to help combat loneliness among the elderly, with the east London Boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets among the bottom ten local authority areas in England and Wales in that area.

The Club is also working to combat loneliness among first-year university students who may feel isolated after leaving home for the first time.

With the east London Boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets experiencing significant problems with poverty, West Ham United is working hard to support local people in need.

The Club’s Holiday Hunger programme provides healthy meals for children at risk of going hungry and workshops for parents and children providing information about how live healthier lifestyles.

The Hammers also work with charities including Crisis and CGL (Change, Grow, Live) Newham Rise to combat issues such as homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse.

West Ham United is committed to providing opportunities for local people of all ages to participate in sport.

More than 2,300 people attended the Club’s Active United scheme, which encourages participants to lead healthier lifestyles and meet new people through taking part in lower-intensity team sports.

At school, the Premier League Primary Stars programme for 5-11 year olds provides physical education, numeracy and literacy sessions and mentoring to hundreds of children.

The Club has also invested £400,000 in improving the facilities at the Foundation’s Beckton hub, which is visited by more than 1,200 people every week.

West Ham United’s community programmes have helped nearly 40,000 people from across east London lead healthier lifestyles.

With the London Borough of Newham being home to the lowest proportion of physically-active adults of any local authority area in England – 44.8 per cent achieve 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week – the Club has introduced the award-winning 150Club to get local people of all ages up and about and reduce their risk of developing illnesses such as diabetes.

West Ham United are committed to working to reduce anti-social behaviour and improving the prospects of young people from across east London.

Working in conjunction with the Premier League, the Moore Family Foundation and other organisations, the Club has assisted thousands of youngsters.

More than 5,000 schoolchildren have received life-changing mentority from the Moore Family Foundation, while more than 450 youngsters take part in the Premier League Kicks scheme every week.

West Ham United offers young people a real and tangible pathway into full-time coaching careers.

In conjunction with the University of East London, more than 120 students are enrolled in a Community Coaching Degree course.

Nearly 200 people have been assisted in gaining FA Coaching qualifications, while more than four-fifths of those enrolled on the Foundation’s Coach Core apprenticeship scheme have gone on to full-time employment in community sport.

West Ham United is committed to providing an accessible environment for everyone.

London Stadium is one of the best sporting venues in the country for visitors with accessibility requirements, with more than 250 wheelchair accessible spaces for spectators and 18 Shuttle Buses and 16 Disabled Supporter Assistants present on matchdays.

The Club has invested more than £100,000 in the Premier League/BT Sport Disability Programme and engaged with more than 500 young people with accessibility requirements to help them to become more active and develop new skills and confidence.

West Ham United is committed to helping local people make the most of their talents and access Premier League football.

The Club offers tens of thousands of free tickets to Newham residents, enabling people from all backgrounds to enjoy Premier League football together.

The Affordable Family Football for All scheme offers the cheapest U16 and second-cheapest Adult Season Tickets in the Premier League.

The Second Chance Learning Academy and Newham Athletic Network offers youngsters a pathway to careers in elite sport.