A group of amateur footballers in Sandown taking part in an FA-accredited national weight loss programme have been shortlisted for the ‘Club of the Year’ award at the MAN v FAT Football National Awards this weekend.
The Sandown club, which meets on Tuesday evenings at The Bay CE High School on The Fairway, currently has more than 60 club members smashing their weight loss targets on a weekly basis.
In the last year, players at the club have lost a combined 41 stone in weight (259.6kg) and the weight loss keeps growing week on week.
Colin Jackson, the Sandown Club Coach, said:
“The last year has been one of growth.
“Following the departure of our original coach, we have had to rally for new members, everyone chipped in and spent time at various local events promoting the club. We have added so much to our club in terms of wellness, togetherness and events, whilst continuing to lose weight.
"Our group has become a social hub for a lot of people who have genuinely made some lifelong friends in the process. As well as seeing people shift unwanted kilos, seeing the confidence of so many people grow is so rewarding.”
MAN v FAT, an FA-affiliated scheme, currently has 8,500 players taking part in nearly 160 leagues across the UK. The programme was created by Andrew Shanahan, who, fed-up with traditional weight loss classes primarily aimed at women, decided to develop a programme that combines the beautiful game with achievable weight loss goals for men.
The total amount of weight lost by MAN v FAT players in the UK currently stands at more than 510,000 pounds. It is aimed at men with a BMI of higher than 27.5.
Before matches, the players are weighed, which is followed by a 30-minute game of six-a-side, with extra goal bonuses awarded to teams based on the amount of weight players have lost. Players receive additional support including healthy meal recipe ideas and tips on general fitness.
The success of the Sandown club led to Isle of Wight Council’s Public Health team further investing in men’s weight loss support by funding a new MAN v FAT club in Cowes, which has also been a huge success. The Isle of Wight Council has been shortlisted in the Partner of the Year category at the Awards, thanks to its support of the two clubs and the MAN v FAT programme more widely.
The winner of the Club of the Year award – together with awards in a range of other categories - will be announced at a special awards ceremony at the National Football Museum in Manchester this Saturday, June 1st.
More information about the Sandown club can be found at manvfatfootball.org/isleofwight
There is also a MAN v FAT club in Cowes, details of which can be found at manvfatfootball.org/Cowes
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