Mental-health football programme almost triples weekly sessions after Sport England funding
The Football for Wellbeing Hub run by West London NHS Trust has secured Sport England funding and will almost triple its weekly sessions from four to eleven. Employment support for participants will also be introduced. The programme accepts referrals from Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, with Ealing the largest source – more than half of its roughly 100 active participants live in the borough.
The Football for Wellbeing Hub run by West London NHS Trust has secured Sport England funding and will almost triple its weekly sessions from four to eleven. Employment support for participants will also be introduced.
The programme accepts referrals from Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow, with Ealing the largest source – more than half of its roughly 100 active participants live in the borough. Sessions take place at Powerleague pitches in Shepherd’s Bush near the Ealing border and combine football with peer support to improve mental wellbeing and reduce social isolation.
Since launching in July 2024 the hub has received over 300 referrals and delivered more than 190 sessions. Residents can self-refer. Babak Rafiei, employment specialist and founder of the hub, said: “Our Football for Wellbeing Hub shows the power of sport in supporting mental health recovery. What once started as a community football project has grown into something bigger and helps more people improve their wellbeing, reconnect with others and build confidence.”
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© 2026 EalingPulse.uk. Original editorial text, graphics and photographs owned by EalingPulse.uk may not be copied, reproduced or republished without prior written permission. Short quotations are permitted only where allowed by law, with clear credit to EalingPulse.uk and a direct link to this article. Third-party material remains the property of its respective rights holders.
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