I’m looking to raise £2500 to provide essential resources for the Freedom from Torture football project in Manchester.
Freedom from Torture is a national organisation that provides direct clinical services to survivors of torture from around the world. The Experts through Experience group at the Manchester branch has developed a football project and it is now in need of additional resources to help it continue to grow. It runs as a partnership between FC United and Freedom from Torture and staff from the University of Manchester provide psychological support for the group. The group provides essential physical, psychological and social support to those who access their services.
The football group consists of approximately 15/20 individuals. It meets once a week to provide a supportive environment for individuals to socialise, complete an hour and a half football training session with a professional coach at FC United and to have food. Additionally, the group have played in competitive charity matches such as the recent People United Day at FC United, playing for a trophy in honour of Alan Henning.
The group has been a great success and we are now fundraising for essential resources. Here are some of the reasons people attend the weekly sessions:
Physical
“It keeps me fit and healthy”
“It keeps me physically active”
Psychological
“When I come to play I forget everything while I am on the pitch. It is fun and it lifts my mood”
“Football equals no stress”
Social
“Football is for a group of people, so I won’t be isolated anymore”
“It reduces my stress, keeps me fit, makes me so happy and joyful. And also it helps me practise my English with other people in the team”
I am Terry (Hanley). I direct a doctorate in counselling psychology programme at the University of Manchester and provide psychological support to the football group. I also play in goal! You can find out more about me and my work at the University here: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/Terry.Hanley.htmland follow me on Twitter (and find out more about the progress of this project) @drterryhanley
Find out more about Freedom from Torture here:
https://www.freedomfromtorture.org
As well as contributing financially to this fundraiser we would also appreciate it if you would help spread the word about it. Please share this project with anyone you think will support us – on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, by email, telephone, in a chat over the fence or on your blog. For any support whatsoever, many thanks!!! It will be greatly appreciated and be of huge value to this project.