In the final session of their holiday camp at Jo Richardson Community School, the children from West Ham United Foundation’s Holiday Activities and Food programme – also known as Healthy Hammers – were thrilled to have received a surprise visit from four West Ham United men's first-team players.
In a bid to address the shortcoming of free school meal provision during the holidays, the Foundation's Healthy Hammers initiative runs during every holiday at partner schools across East London and Essex. The focus is on offering free healthy meals, a range of multisport activities, and engaging enrichment sessions centred around nutrition and healthy living.
Shortly after their final training session ahead of their highly anticipated London derby against Chelsea, Maxwel Cornet, Łukasz Fabiański, Joseph Anang and Kurt Zouma made the short trip from the training ground to Barking & Dagenham. The enthusiastic quartet met with the Healthy Hammers to partake in an interactive football session where they eagerly embraced their roles as coaches.
Upon arrival of the players, the Foundation’s Healthy Hammers contingent were split into four teams. Under the tutelage of the West Ham quartet, the young players went head-to-head in a tournament style format bringing out the competitiveness of both players and coaches.
Despite the encouragement and frantic instructions given from the first-time coaches on the sidelines, it was Anang’s methodical and measured approach which ultimately proved successful. Edging out Team Cornet in the semifinal clash, his poised tactics continued in the gold medal match, where he clinched victory in a penalty shootout against Team Fabiański.
Young Zias Munroe, who was part of Anang’s dream team, was overjoyed as he reflected on the session, commenting on the players’ down to earth nature and the excitement of being coached by Premier League footballers.
“It was my favourite session of the holiday camps!” he exclaimed. “I loved meeting all of my favourite players. I’m really thankful to the Foundation for getting the players in to coach us, sign things for us and take pictures. It’s an experience none of us will ever forget!”
