West Ham United Football Club has today 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 has already invested almost £13m directly across education, health and social mobility projects since 2013 in the London Borough of Newham and surrounding Olympic boroughs and Essex.
Today, West Ham United is committing to invest a further £10 million over the next three years; this will further expand the Club’s reach whilst at the same time creating deeper provision with our more deprived communities.
Find out more about the Players' Project here
The Club will work with, help, support and give opportunities to up to 100,000 people from our community over the next three years.
These programmes will fundamentally change the lives of 10,000 people, whether its providing a mentor to a younger member of the community; helping to break down barriers that local East Londoners face when looking for employment; or tackling loneliness by simple acts like having a cup of coffee with someone who just wants some company.
West Ham United is dedicated to delivering innovative, inspiring and impactful programmes in a way that provides immediate and long-term benefit and support to those that the Club reaches.
Embracing and delivering a sporting legacy after the Olympics is central to the Club’s commitment to its community, together with creating opportunities and changing lives.
West Ham United Vice-Chairman Karren Brady said of the programme: "The Players’ Project demonstrates our commitment to the community runs right through the club’s DNA - from top to bottom, playing and non-playing staff alike.
"Our focus is on using the power of sport to improve social integration, help people overcome barriers and motivate, educate, and inspire people in the local community. This ambitious project will see our players, each one of them acting as ambassadors for a key area of our community outreach getting out into our community using the power of football to create life changing experiences that bring hope, inspire change, and deliver opportunities.
“Today we are committing to invest £10m over three years. The Club’s support for local communities can be seen by the sheer scale and scope of our programmes. On top of our outstanding football development programmes, we work on a broad range of initiatives focusing on employment, education, social deprivation, crime reduction, youth offending and much more.
“I am very proud of what we are launching today to show that West Ham United embodies the heart of the communities of London.”
Club Captain Mark Noble added: “This football club is at the centre of a community that has been an integral part of my life since the day I was born. I grew up in Canning Town and have always known about the values held dear by the working-class people of east London.
“Football has the power to do great things. As players, we are all aware of our role as ambassadors, representing not only the football club but the community that surrounds us, and it is important that we continue to strengthen that bond.
“The Players’ Project means that those of us fortunate enough to wear the claret and blue shirt will always know just how much our community means to everyone at West Ham United.”