Nataliya, our Ukraine Project coordinator says:
For the first time in our community in Sutton, we organised football games for Ukrainian men to help them overcome stress, strengthen their spirit and find support in each other.
The first two games showed excellent attendance - more than 20 men gathered to enjoy the game and communication. The initiative turned out to be very important, because, despite physical safety in the UK, the mental health of men is undergoing serious struggles.
We are especially glad that we managed to gather a group of men, among whom there are both those who have recently arrived in Sutton, and those who have already adapted to life here. This creates a unique opportunity for the exchange of experience and support for newcomers from those who have already gone this way. Football has become not only a way to maintain physical fitness, but also a great opportunity to receive psychological support. Participation in the game helps to reduce the level of stress and tension, improve emotional state and restore a sense of community.
In addition, it is a great way to get new social connections and a space for exchanging thoughts and experiences. Creating such a social group was not easy, but the result exceeded all expectations. Men got the opportunity to meet with like-minded people, share their experiences and get support.
This is our first experience of organizing such a men's group in Sutton, and we are extremely happy that it turned out to be so positive. The large number of men who expressed a desire to join testifies to the importance and relevance of this initiative. We are proud of the first steps and see that football is an effective tool to support the mental health and social adaptation of Ukrainian men in the UK. The plans are to expand this initiative and attract even more participants.
