Keep it up - Papa's Football Club!

Aim

Papa's is starting a weekly free football club and we need your support to kick it off!

Who are we?

Papa's is run by and for the community. Now we are starting our own football club and we need your support! 

Our dream is for Papa's to have a regular football club - just an hour a week when kids of any gender aged 8-13 can turn up and receive football coaching for free, regardless of ability or experience. We want Papa's to be welcoming and fun for everyone. 

This Autumn we want to run a free weekly football club, *every Friday 5-6pm, starting 11th of September 2026 for 12 weeks.* 

Why are we crowdfunding?

In July and August 2026 we got the ball rolling! Thanks to funding from Project Smith and Lambeth Wellbeing Fund and Papa's Park, four community coaches completed essential training and gained experience of coaching with Sonny Black from Sporting Champs. Over fifty young people registered to join! But to keep it going, we need funding. 

How we’ll spend the money raised

Every penny donated will go toward the football club.  Your donation will fund:

* kit, including shin guards for kids who need them

 * training and mentoring for community coaches to make sure the club is fun and safe

* a community organiser to support volunteers and kids. 

Community impact

We asked parents and children about Papa's Football Club and here is what they told us: 

"I like getting outside and practicing footballs, the drills and of course the ice lolly at the end!" Amalie.

"it’s really fun, I have lots of fun learning about football, it’s made me want to do football more" Ammar. 

"I like the sessions because they’re really well organised. This means that we get into matches quickly, which I really enjoy. They make me feel welcome so it always feels like I’m playing with friends." Orlando. 

"My son asked me to get him goalie equipment and he's hardly taken it off! Football at Papa's has allowed him to find a love for the game without the pressure." Kelly (parent). 

"They look forward to coming every week! They enjoy their time and have said that the staff and coaches are lovely" Parent. 

"The park offers amazing space, great parent coaches and wonderful food (Papa’s Cafe is the delicious icing on the cake!)

"My son (Paddy) has significantly progressed over the summer, spending hours practising with so many different children (of all ages and abilities). The camp has provided an opportunity to make the park-football- practise more structured and official-but the children themselves make this camp as they all have great focus and team spirit -during the sessions and on all the days when the children get together to play and learn -safely and with no set parent coaches! The co-operative, inclusive attitude and collaboration among local children has been a sight for sore eyes!

The training and chance to play competitively -as well as that vital time to make friends and experience community -has been fabulous for my son.

As a parent, I have truly appreciated the time for my son to develop fitness and to fill his summer time with physical activity-maintaining positive mental health and getting away from devices! Long may it continue…." Ninah.

"the football has been a great initiative, in addition to getting the kids outside and participating in a team sport with skilled coaches  it’s a lovely added extra that it’s free!" Mena. 

How you can play your part

There are three simple ways to help us reach our target, and make this project a reality.

1. Make a pledge. Every little counts - even £1 helps us know that you value what we do. 

2. Leave comments when you pledge - tell us why this matters and encourage others to donate. 

3. Spread the word. Share our project on your social media pages and tell the world to get behind us! The more people we reach, the more support we will get.

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 2nd October 2026 at 2:13pm