The Hull FC Community Foundation have released their 2020 Impact Report as the country begins to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
With restrictions on our daily lives finally being lifted, the Community Foundation have looked back on their involvement in having a positive impact on the lives of people across the region during some truly challenging months for the local community.
The Community Foundation continued many of their projects throughout the pandemic, while adapting others to take place virtually, and creating new projects entirely to battle the challenges that Covid-19 pandemic brought, including isolation and loneliness.
To read the 2020 Impact Report in full, click here
2020 was a year like no other. Having worked throughout 2019 delivering new initiatives and pilot activities to help inform ‘Teaming Up for Health’s’ long term priorities, the Covid-19 pandemic changed everything. Having long held an ethos for delivering activities and opportunities that met the needs of the local community, now was the time to think outside the box, be responsive, and use the power of sport to help keep people connected at a time when wellbeing was severely affected.
This ‘Impact Report’ outlines the work of Hull FC Community Foundation in delivering responsive and recovery-based interventions to local people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Conscious of how existing inequalities were exacerbated, particularly in areas of high deprivation, the focus was on offering projects that empowered people to keep connected virtually, receive support e.g. through welfare calls and food parcels, and take part in activities that reinforced positive aspirations. Initiatives like ‘Coffee Corner’ (older people), ‘Empowering Youth’ (young people), and ‘Tackle It’ (Low SEB) were just some examples of new targeted work delivered to vulnerable population groups.
Despite Covid-19, community staff and volunteers have ensured that planned projects around the ‘Tackling Obesity’, ‘Tackling Mental Health’, and ‘Tackling Loneliness’ focus strands agreed with NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group have been delivered, albeit adapted to fit in with the relevant guidelines and restrictions. ‘Compete for Change’ is working with children and young people daily within school environments to change attitudes towards physical activity and healthy eating, whilst the ‘Empower’ project continues to offer a vibrant weekly programme for people of all ages, sexes and abilities to participate in sport and social activities.
As the country begins to emerge from the pandemic, the focus of the Foundation will move towards helping our participants to rebuild their lives. Delivering health and wellbeing outcomes will remain a key priority across all projects as we aim to instil confidence in participants to transfer from virtual to in- person delivery.
James Price, Head of the Hull FC Community Foundation said: “Whilst 2020 was focused on adapting and being responsive to need, 2021 is about accessibility and creativity.
“Our activities will help develop skills associated with confidence, resilience, and aspirations within people young and old. ‘Teaming Up for Health’ continues to be Hull FC Community Foundation’s leading city-wide initiative impacting the lives of thousands of people each year.
“We welcome the opportunity to continue working with our partners Hull Kingston Rovers Community Trust and NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group to ensure the project continues to play an essential role in supporting health and wellbeing improvements in the coming year.
“As a result of the pandemic, we have a greater understanding of the needs of local people. In addition to our core areas, we will be ‘Teaming Up’ with these partners to focus efforts on tackling food poverty, bridging the digital divide, and encouraging more local businesses to offer work placement opportunities to young people who are facing barriers to employment.
“Hull is a city that prides itself on its sporting culture and we look forward to continuing to use the ‘Power of Sport’ to engage, educate and inspire the community.”
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