A special community walking football event will take place in Braehead on Sunday, raising money for a mental health charity.
The festival will bring together three different walking football groups, all run by local coach Callum Brown as a means of helping connect people of all ages and abilities.
Callum was initially involved in running the walking football group at Forthbank in Stirling on a Wednesday morning, but after Active Stirling reduced its services during the pandemic, Callum went out on his own to make sure the classes were still delivered.
They have gone from strength to strength since, with two other groups now being organised for Tuesday and Thursday evenings - including the formation of a women’s group on Tuesdays.
Sunday’s big gathering will see the three groups come together to take part on the day, as well as other invited groups from across Forth Valley.
Callum said: “The walking football group on the Wednesday morning was run for the over-50s and we had a lot of guys that turned up to that.
“We had a lot of guys in their late 40s and early 50s asking if they could play, but they were still working so couldn’t make the morning so that’s where the Thursday night sessions came in.
“We started getting a few women along - my auntie, girlfriend and sister started playing - and so we then added the women’s group.
“It’s going to be a sort of non-competitive fun festival, a lot of the people from the different groups haven’t met each other so it will be nice to connect people and it’s open to all ages to come along and take part.”
The festival, which will take place at Braehead football park, will also take on a special meaning for one of the participants, with money being raised for the Chris Mitchell Foundation, set up in memory of the Bridge of Allan footballer who took his own life in 2016.
Chris’s dad Phil is a regular member of the Wednesday group and so donations will be taken on the day for the charity, which aims to raise awareness of mental health for those working in Scottish football.
Callum continued: “We thought that since we were having this big gathering that we might as well raise some money for charity in the process and we chose the Chris Mitchell Foundation because Phil is so close to the group. It’s a really good organisation and does great work and so hopefully we can raise a lot of on the day.
“We’re hoping to possibly have around 40 people down there on the day depending on the weather and the day is completely open to all ages and genders, with no football experience required.”
