Communities

How Chelsea Foundation is providing lockdown support

23 Feb 2021
A coach from the Chelsea Foundation

The Blues' charity is helping more than 1,500 people of all ages during the COVID-19 pandemic

Related Articles
Chelsea Foundation continue to inspire and motivate throughout lockdown External Link
Foundation continue to have positive impact on Kicks programme participants External Link
Beattie donation helps children access home learning

The Chelsea Foundation has helped more than 1,500 people of all ages through a wide variety of community programmes during the current lockdown.

Pan Disability sessions have been allowed to continue and more than 50 people are taking advantage of the support and activity they provide every week.

Coaches have been leading sessions for players aged 5-49, while the club's cerebral palsy team have resumed training to prepare for joining the National Cerebral Palsy League later in the year.

Meanwhile, members of the Foundation's Health and Wellbeing team are keeping in touch with 180 seniors every week via virtual physical activities, sessions of reminiscing, and phone calls.

In addition, activities including exercise and mobility, nutrition advice, circuits and "soccercise" are being run more than 12 times every week.

Support for youth

Foundation staff have also been working with young people and students.

The club's social inclusion team have adapted their Premier League Kicks sessions to virtual ones, including online quizzes and "Get Active" challenges.

They have also been working with youth clubs to provide activities for vulnerable young people, as well as supporting participants who may not have facilities at home to complete online schoolwork.

"Lockdown has been really challenging for many of our young people who have had to adapt to not going to school and not being able to socialise with their friends," senior social inclusion officer Callum Salhotra told the club's official website.

"The Chelsea Foundation Social Inclusion Team have tried to adapt much of our provision to keep young people engaged during this time."

Virtual webinars

Those taking part in the College Academy programmes have been given free access to Chelsea's Player Pathway app, which sets them three challenges a week and allows them to receive virtual sessions and webinars on performance analysis, scouting and university life.

Students on the degree programme, in collaboration with St Mary's University, have been given work placements in the Foundation.

Staff are also acting as mentors to students, helping them plan and deliver their own virtual sessions to female grassroots teams of up to 200 players.

The Player Development Programme has moved online, providing coaching sessions, challenges and virtual workshops, while grassroots clubs are also receiving workshops to help them with coaching.

Fans who would like to support the Chelsea Foundation in their work can do so here.

Latest Videos

More Videos