West Ham's new Foundation headquarters to serve more than 60,000 local people

West Ham United have officially opened "The Foundry", the club’s state-of-the-art Foundation headquarters in Beckton, Newham, east London.

The newly developed  site will significantly increase the club’s community footprint, enabling them to reach more than 60,000 people each year via 35 dedicated programmes catering for all ages and backgrounds.

These include Premier League Primary Stars, Premier League Kicks, Premier League Inspires and Active United, a Premier League Fans Fund project. The new community hub will also deliver £75million in social value in its first five years of operation.

The site will support up to 4,000 community participants of all ages each week across education, employment, physical and mental health and social inclusion programmes, as well as through a brand-new enterprise zone, inspiring future business leaders. 

See some of the people who will benefit

The Foundry also includes health and wellbeing spaces, an outdoor gym and a welcoming kitchen and cafe, profits from which will go towards providing free meals for those in need – ensuring the club’s legacy continues to be felt beyond matchdays. This in addition to the club’s programmes which extend across east London, Essex and internationally.

Premier League-funded programmes like those delivered by the West Ham United Foundation have benefitted more than 2.5million people to date, with the Premier League supporting 164 clubs to deliver across the League, EFL, National League and Women’s Super League. Between them, club charities employ more than 7,400 people across a nationwide network.

The Foundry was opened in a celebration event led by West Ham United vice-chair Baroness Karren Brady, cutting the ribbon on the club’s multi-million pound community hub.

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters attended the opening and said: “West Ham United Foundation positively impact their community throughout the year and are an example of the excellent work carried out by club charities across the country.

"Facilities such as The Foundry show the value professional football clubs create by investing in their local areas, developing state-of-the-art infrastructure, and providing tens of thousands of jobs.

“The Premier League and our clubs are committed to supporting the wider game and communities, contributing £1.6billion over the past three years.”

Supported with a £1.5million grant from the Premier League, FA and Government’s Football Foundation, the site also features a 3G pitch which was funded with a £436,000 grant in 2016 – bringing total Football Foundation investment to almost £2million. In nearby Dagenham, the Football Foundation also enabled the opening of the Bobby Moore Sports Hub in 2024 with its largest ever grant of £6.2million. 

Speaking shortly after cutting the ribbon, Baroness Brady said: “The Foundry represents exactly what we are – a community. A community that helps one another, supports one another and inspires one another. 

"And what happens here really is just the tip of the iceberg – the impact of our community outreach work can be felt right across the capital and beyond – ensuring 60,000 individuals will benefit from our support each year.

"The Foundry is an inspirational environment, a triumph of innovation, dedication, and grit – all the values that West Ham United prides itself on.  

“When we moved to our stadium, almost ten years ago, we doubled down on our long-held commitment to serve our community and help fulfil London’s Olympic Legacy, across the capital and beyond – a genuine determination to tackle and solve the major problems impacting the people of London, and to illustrate exactly how a Premier League football club like West Ham United can be such a powerful force for good.”

To find out more about the West Ham United Foundation, click here.