05 May New project launched to help fans reduce sports betting
Leicester City FC Community Trust is currently recruiting for its Football Fans and Betting programme, a gambling harm reduction project aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of male football fans between the ages of 18-55.
The programme is based on the award winning, evidence-based, Football Fans in Training (FFIT) and European Fans in Training (EuroFIT) programmes developed by University of Glasgow. Delivered through club community organisations, these programmes have helped overweight men become more active, adopt healthy lifestyles and ‘get back in shape’.
The model has now been adapted to help football fans reconsider their relationship with gambling and to give male football fans practical tools to help them reduce their levels of sports betting and other gambling behaviours. Funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), the Football Fans and Betting programme has been scoped and designed by an expert working group of consortium members and end-users, including development of participant recruitment strategies, training materials for coaches, materials for participants, and core components of the training programme.
Healthy Stadia is currently working with a new cohort of clubs including Blackpool FC Community Trust and Leicester City in the Community to deliver the programme. The project is being delivered by University of Glasgow with support from Healthy Stadia in terms of liaising with clubs and Beacon Counselling Trust acting as safeguarding lead.
The Football Fans and Betting programme is a crucial step towards promoting healthier lifestyles among football fans and reducing the potential harm caused by sports betting. The support provided by clubs will ensure that the programme can make a real difference to the lives of those who take part.
Football fans who are interested in participating in Leicester City in the Community’s programme are encouraged to attend the upcoming drop-in session and meet with the coaches to learn more about the benefits of the programme and how it can help them to reduce their levels of gambling. See below for more information.
Details for Leicester City programme:
Riverside Football Ground, Braunstone Lane East, Leicester LE3 2FD on 10th May 2023 at 6pm
More details at: https://www.footballfansandbetting.com/#find-out-more
