Walking football team benefit from kit skip donation

Farnborough’s over 50s Walking Football Club, famed by the Barclays TV advert, have been given Premier League treatment with the donation of a specialist Zarges case. The kit skip was used to transport vital kit and medical equipment on their tour to Portugal this April 2015.

Having participated in the first ever international Walking Football match, the Cove Rapidly Aging Pensioners rattled in the goals and received the John Mortimore Trophy!

The Walking Football organisation enables thousands of older men to rediscover the joys of playing football, whilst making the basic elements of a match accessible by slowing the pace of the game down.

The sport actively encourages people aged over the age of 50 to continue playing football. The over 50s Walking Football club was initially established in Hampshire 6 years ago and has become increasingly popular amongst senior people who may have mobility problems.

Since the initial Walking Football club was established, there are now over 220 registered clubs all over the UK with new clubs opening all over. Walking Football offers these senior individuals an alternative way to keep active whilst also getting older people to enjoy physical exercise.

Research from Peter Reddy (Aston University) suggests that the psychological benefits of playing football are as important as the physiological ones.

He has said;

A study among older men playing football in Dublin shows that they have high levels of what we term ‘flow’, which really means psychological reward and satisfaction. They see it as fun and rewarding.

Please see below for the original Barclays advert in which the team starred (courtesy of YouTube).

Walking Football is a slower, more practical version of football where any player caught running results in a free kick to the opposition. This creates a fun, non-contact sport perfect for the target age group.

The sport was originally designed to tackle inactivity and social isolation whilst providing an opportunity to interact with other like-minded individuals.

The Walking Football Farnborough team are preparing for their upcoming trip to Portugal to play an international friendly over 50s match this April.

GWP Protective donated an aluminium ‘travel kit skip’ to the Farnborough team, supporting them on their journey to play in the first international friendly match in Portugal in April 2015.

The Zarges aluminium kit skip donated by GWP Protective will represent the football team by featuring their team logo, whilst ensuring that the kit is kept safe whilst travelling to Portugal. It will store football kit, physio bags, defibrillators, crutches, Cryocuffs and club footballs.

Richard Coombes, General Manager at GWP Protective, said;

I’d seen the Walking Football Club on TV and thought what an excellent sport this is. The Club contacted me and said they were looking for something suitable in which to carry all their kit to the Algarve for an international friendly. It needed to be lightweight but strong and lockable so I immediately thought of the Zarges case.

We have over the past 18 months been a leading supplier of these ‘Kit skips’ throughout the footballing pyramid from the premier league to the conference and have seen a significant increase in the amount of teams who now use these as their preferred transportation method. We were delighted to be able to donate a case to them.

Michael Quinn who runs the Football Club featured in the Barclays advert said:

With our players being older we do have to be prepared for any eventuality. The aluminium case that GWP has given us is light, sturdy and lockable so I can relax in the knowledge that the equipment is protected and secure. We are absolutely delighted that the guys at GWP have given us this case, it’s really helped us out.

Sponsored by the international tax and wealth management company Blevins Franks, teams from Farnborough, Hampshire and the Soccor Olhanense Strollers (SOS) joined in the over 50’s tournament at Olhao.

The Cove Rapidly Ageing Pensioners arrived at Faro Airport and were welcomed by their hosts and officials of FIFA. The four teams gathered at the Jose Arcanjo Stadium whereby they were warmly applauded by the staff, professional players of the SC Olhanense team and the crowd.

The four games were hotly contested but it became apparent that the team were in a different league as they rattled in the goals.

You can find out more about Walking Football by clicking here, or get further details on the aluminium kit skips available by clicking here.