Alice, 95, with West Ham Ladies General Manager and First Team Coach Karen Ray
Running in conjunction with the Premier League (PL) and the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), our ‘Any Old Irons’ project has been running for almost a year.
The five-week initiative gives participants the opportunity to connect with other fans and locals in their community, bringing them together for fun and friendship. Those attending can also learn how to stay in touch with their fellow fans and the club using digital technology.
The most recent five-week cohort has just finished, so the West Ham United Foundation spoke with Alice about her experience of the sessions. Alice is 95 years of age, and has been living locally in East Ham for over 50 years. She lost her husband ten years ago, and the Any Old Irons programme has given her the opportunity to improve her life.
“I used to be a neighbour of Harry Redknapp’s mother when I lived in Poplar”, Alice explained. “My friend who is also a social worker let me know about the programme and suggested I join.”
“I’ve been quite lonely for the last few years, and had very few friends. The Any Old Irons programme has helped me meet lots of new and interesting people – and we’re all West Ham fans which is great!”
Hammers legend and current first-team coach, Julian Dicks, said: “Any Old Irons is another brilliant initiative from the Foundation, in partnership with Friends of the Elderly, to support older people in the West Ham community. By bringing together Hammers’ fans who may not be socially active, Any Old Irons helps keep vulnerable fans connected; it's great to see so many supporters from different generations bonding over our club and their shared memories."
The project takes place at East Ham Working Men’s Club and is open to anyone over the age of 65. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-reserved basis – those interested in attending should call Friends of the Elderly on 0330 332 1110.