Manchester Global Foundation Visits Sutton United Foundation

Great to attend two fantastic community sessions in Sutton yesterday with the Manchester Global Foundation team.

We were delighted to spend time with the brilliant team at Sutton United Foundation and see first-hand the impact of their community programmes. One session brought together participants ranging from people in their 50s to an incredible 87-year-old gentleman who shared that he looks forward to attending every single week. The energy, warmth and sense of community in the room was truly heartwarming.

It was also encouraging to see a positive gender mix and some diversity among participants, with real potential to further engage Sutton’s wider communities. From experience across public services and community sport, organisations often want to connect with diverse communities but are sometimes unsure how best to communicate and engage. Programmes like these provide a great platform to build even broader community participation.

We also had the opportunity to observe a Parkinson’s group session, which was excellent. The atmosphere, engagement and peer support highlighted just how valuable community-based programmes can be for health, wellbeing and social connection.

A huge thank you to Sutton United Foundation for welcoming Manchester Global Foundation and for the important work you are doing locally. We look forward to exploring how we can support the development of evidence to demonstrate the impact of programmes like these for individuals, groups and communities — helping unlock future support from funders and commissioners.

Community sport and social programmes like this show the real power of local partnerships in improving health and strengthening communities.