An annual football tournament raising awareness of homelessness kicked off its 15th year with support from Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku, ex-pro Danny Murphy and a team from Warrington.
Also backed by Pep Guardiola’s family charity, Guardiola Sala Foundation (GSF), the team from James Lee House, a Lifehouse (hostel) on Brick Street in Warrington, took part in The Salvation Army’s football tournament, The Partnership Trophy, which tackles the root causes of homelessness and provides participants with opportunities to change their lives.
Bringing together more than 30 teams from The Salvation Army’s homelessness services around the United Kingdom, the friendly five-a-side competition boosted morale and improved positive wellbeing and mental health amongst people experiencing homelessness.
Offering encouragement at the event and cheering the Fleetwood team on from the sidelines were Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku and ex-professional player and sports pundit Danny Murphy. Danny Murphy said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to be part of such a wonderful day organised by The Salvation Army. I have gained a deeper appreciation of the incredible work they do, and it has been inspiring to see so many young men and women come together from across the country. The event has been highly competitive, while also being filled with fun, joy and a wonderful sense of community.”
The annual tournament is one of the many ways that The Salvation Army promotes positive and independent living for its service users, while reinforcing its message that helping people to move on from homelessness is more than just providing a home.
Debbie Rutter, service manager at James Lee House said: “We were thrilled to take part in The Salvation Army’s annual football tournament and to be cheered on by sporting heroes and names as big as Danny Murphy and Jeremy Doku really did spur everyone on, and we were so grateful for their involvement. This is a key event in our annual calendar, one that we know means a lot to the people in our Lifehouses and those who access our services. The Partnership Trophy is a powerful tool to show value in people which can help support positive change, celebrating who they are and everything that they can be.
“People with lived or living experience of homelessness often have complex layers of trauma or inequalities that have led to homelessness, and this tournament reinforces our ethos that James Lee House provides so much more than just a roof.”
The Salvation Army strongly believes in supporting people to tackle the underlying causes to why they became homeless, such as trauma, addiction, mental health problems and wider health and social inequalities to ensure they aren’t trapped in a cycle of rough-sleeping and temporary accommodation.
The Salvation Army holds the event every year in partnership with its subsidiary, Salvation Army Homes, which has been part of The Salvation Army family providing housing services since 1959. With over 4,000 homes, providing people in need of safety, security and opportunities with quality accommodation, Salvation Army Homes, together with the church and charity, help people on their journey of personal transformation and out of homelessness. As with Lifehouses and drop-in services, Salvation Army Homes works with a variety of agencies, local authorities and specialist partners around the United Kingdom.
Every night, The Salvation Army supported accommodation provides a bed for more than 2,500 people across the UK and Ireland who have nowhere else to stay.
