Our mission: to inspire and empower our community to actively participate in recreational sports. We aim to foster a supportive and inclusive environment where people can enhance their physical health, mental well-being, and social connections. By promoting the benefits of sports participation and providing these opportunities, we strive to build a community that values and champions physical and social development.

Recreational Football can also be known as Casual Football, mixed ability Football, Turn up and Play, Social Football, Flexi-Football… the list will go on as the popularity rises of playing non-competitive football in a fun and welcoming environment. Opportunities to join these types of sessions are growing quickly, with grassoots football clubs, community groups and other initiatives setting up sessions to encourage their communities to get active. Just like the games being referred to by different names, clubs and groups will have their own way of running their sessions. This is what Recreational Football means to us:

Since inception in 2020, Community Kickabout’s team of volunteers have been instrumental in organising weekly football sessions for men (age over 30) and women (no age limit). You don’t need to be part of a team, you just register for a game, turn up and joining in your allocated game. Our initiative has been lauded for its positive impact on participants’ mental and physical health, providing a sociable and inclusive environment. The emphasis on our sessions is having fun! If this initiative is to succeed, then participants need to enjoy our sessions, ensuring continued participation and new people wanting to get involved.

Since our launch four years ago, we’ve received the Active Dacorum award from Dacorum Borough Council, were nominated for an award in the catagory of FA Grassroots Project of the Year, and the efforts of two of our volunteers were recognised with Premier League Community Captain awards.

Aside from our weekly small-sided games, we’ve supported a number of charities as well as organising 11-a-side games for charity fundraising; we also encourage social activities and have organised nights out, Foot-Golf and group tickets to watch football games.

Initially supported by a Community Grant from Dacorum Borough Council, the growth of our initiative has since been supported by:

• Herts FA’s Sustain, Revive and Thrive fund, supporting the addition of an extra Monday night game.
• Mental Health charity CALM’s Caring United campaign, providing kit, equipment and mental wellbeing training.
• Barclays Community Football Fund, delivered in parnership with Sported, helping us start Ladies only games.
• Dacorum Borough Council’s Healthy Hub small grants fund, supporting the continued growth of our Women on games.
• Warburtons Community Grant, supporting the sustainability and progress of our Women only games.
• Kick It On with Starling Bank, provided our Women players with kit and coaching opportunities.

Our sessions take place at Hemel Hempstead Town FC, Vauxhall Road, on FIFA Pro standard all-weather artificial grass; our matches are an easy, affordable (£6 Men, £4 Women) and friendly opportunity to get active.

Our sessions were initially aimed helping Over 30’s get active because cardiovascular disease in people aged between 30 and 74 in Dacorum is statistically significantly higher than the averages for England and Hertfordshire and around 50,000 residents aged 50 and above suffer from a long-term health problem or disability. Regular exercise has also been shown to improve your ability to regulate your immune system, . We’ve since extended our sessions to welcome Ladies (no age limit) in Women only games.

Adults should be participating in 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity (raised heartbeat, sweating e.g. brisk walking). It has been scientifically proven that being physically active can dramatically improve an individual’s physical health. It lowers the risk of heart disease, strokes, cancer and of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 50%. It also improves mental health, helping to lower the risk of depression and reduces cognitive decline. Taking part in sport and physical activity can also boost productivity. Physical activity and sports participation can develop a sense of shared purpose and contribute to community cohesion. Sport is successful in bringing people from different communities together and forging strong, new friendships and creating a sense of pride and belonging within their communities.