West Ham United stars from the men’s and women’s first teams paid a visit to the Any Old Irons Christmas Party this week.
Issa Diop, Arthur Masuaku, Adrian, Kate Longhurst and Jane Ross all headed to East Ham to see the Any Old Irons group, which gives participants the opportunity to connect with other fans and locals in their community, bringing them together for fun and friendship.
The players chatted with the older Hammers supporters as they enjoyed a festive get together, as part of the Club’s groundbreaking Players’ Project which sees first teamers become ambassadors for an area of community work.
Diop is committed to help combat loneliness in the local community and he said: “Christmas is a tough time for people who are alone so they need to be with friends and family if they have them, and we can try to help them.”
Fellow defender Arthur Masuaku added: “It’s always nice to see some fans. Sometimes they are lonely so it’s always nice to talk to them at these occasions. They support us, but we also support them.”
West Ham women’s player Longhurst agreed with that sentiment.
“There’s a lot of people who have been really friendly and chatting to us, and we’ve found out a bit about their history, what they like to do, what they’re doing for Christmas and it’s been a really good event for us,” she said. “I’ve really enjoyed it.”