Aberdeen FC’s Football Fans in Training achieve huge weight loss goal
A group of Aberdeen Football Club fans will support the Dons at this weekend’s Scottish Cup final weighing 160st lighter, as the total weight loss for the AFC Community Trust’s (AFCCT) Football Fans In Training (FFIT) programme is unveiled.
The health and wellbeing initiative was introduced to football clubs across Scotland by the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) Trust, targeting male and female fans aged 35-65 who are keen to lose weight.
The AFCCT FFIT programme has attracted more than 280 participants since it began in 2011. Delivered by AFCCT coaches, FFIT includes classroom and practical sessions focussed on healthy eating, alcohol awareness and physical activity within a 12-week programme, with participants meeting at Pittodrie once a week.
With an average weight loss of more than half a stone per person, the programme has been hugely successful in changing the lives of football fans across the North-east with many returning to take on roles within AFCCT and help others.
“The Club has given so much to me and I really wanted to give something back, so I now volunteer with AFCCT”
Dougie Henderson, 45, from Mastrick said: “FFIT gave me the support and encouragement to kick a thirty-year smoking habit, shed five stone and increase my weekly exercise regime from doing absolutely nothing to exercising about six hours per week. The Club has given so much to me and I really wanted to give something back, so I now volunteer with AFCCT, delivering the popular Walking Football classes in Aberdeen, which is for like-minded people of all ages and abilities who are passionate about the game.”
Donna Reid, 40, from Northfield also began giving her time to AFCCT following the completion of the FFIT programme, with one of her roles including mascot responsibilities.
She said: “Before taking part in FFIT I suffered from depression, was unfit and overweight. I’m now a much happier person, more than two stone lighter and best of all I have made lifelong friends who I’ve kept in touch with ever since completing the programme. The experience has truly changed my life; it’s given me the confidence to do things I could have never imagined including running laps around Pittodrie and even having a go at the half time goal challenge at Hampden in 2016’s League Cup Final. It feels great to be heading to the Cup Final with the other FFIT guys after achieving such a massive weight loss as a group, a win at Hamden would just top it off!”
Previous members of the original FFIT programme in 2011 have now formed the FFIT Legends – an independent group of volunteers who organise five-a-aside football and walks for men each week. They compete in the national FFIT League against other teams including Celtic, St Johnstone and Hibs with Aberdeen Football Club’s non-executive director Craig Brown appointed as their honorary president.
The charity engages with more than 12,000 participants each year across 60 programmes and initiatives
Craig Brown said: “It’s a great honour to represent Aberdeen Football Club’s Community Trust which is recognised nationally and internationally for the work it does with local people, and the weight loss achieved by the FFIT group is hugely inspirational. Just as football managers try to create a positive and supportive environment which is conducive to the team’s success, the AFCCT coaches manage to create a similar environment for the programme’s participants and I’d like to congratulate each of them on this tremendous achievement.”
The news has been welcomed by NHS Grampian, which part-funds the FFIT programme and provides staff to deliver workshops and presentations to fans taking part.
Wendy Innocent from NHS Grampian’s Public Health Department said: “This isn’t about faddy diets or a quick fix, it’s about showing people how to make small changes to their diet and lifestyle to greatly improve their health and wellbeing. We are very pleased to be working in partnership with AFCCT to deliver the FFIT programme and we would like to congratulate the participants on what is a truly fantastic result.”
The charity engages with more than 12,000 participants each year across 60 programmes and initiatives, with volunteers from the organisation already delivering more than 3,500 hours of free community support in their spare time.
The next FFIT programme will be launching at the start of the 2017/2018 season. For more information or to sign up please email info@afccommunitytrust.org or visit afccommunitytrust.org
