Nightlife Football Tournament 2022

On Thursday 27th October 2022, Youth Action Alliance and Chelsea FC Foundation organised North Kensington’s biggest annual Youth & Community football tournament in partnership with the National Lottery Community Fund.

Players participated in an all-day tournament that ran from midday until 11pm at night. It took place at our partners facilities, the Westway Trust - Westway Sports & Fitness Centre, in West London.

‘Nightlife’ was a special community tournament that took place during the school half term. Young people from Kensington & Chelsea and neighbouring boroughs (Hammersmith & Fulham and Westminster) came together to play football and compete for a special day at Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge. Football players also received free hair cuts, hot food and refreshments. Due to popular demand from the community, this year we introduced an adults category. Nightlife brought together all ages, as families and friends came down to cheer on players.

Aims & objectives

To have over 400 attendees at the event
To provide young people with a space to make new friends
To improve young people’s mental health through engagement in sport
To give the opportunity for one of our players to get scouted at Nightlife
To improve young people’s physical health and encourage young people to make healthier lifestyle choices

THANK YOU

We would like to thank all our partners and funders who supported this event:

VIP's, Partners and Supporters

Special VIPs, Andrew Impy (former player for QPR) Karl Hutchins (former player for Chelsea and Brentford FC) the Deputy Mayor of RBKC, Cllr Janet Evans, and Social Media influencer, Jelani Inyama ‘j_tekkz’ (1.9 million followers), handed out the prizes to winning teams.

Chelsea FC Foundation supplied staff to referee the matches and provided first place prizes for all winning teams. Fulham FC sent two referees to support the tournament and QPR donated a Player of the Match 'First team' signed a shirt and match day tickets for the winning adults team. Capital Girls League supported the event and OVO (SSE) Arena Wembley supplied footballs.

As an additional activity, to give young people a chance to warm up before their game or something to do outside of the tournament, Soccer 2UOs ran a two-aside tournament and drills.

We provided hot meals, snacks and refreshments for all participants throughout the day. One of our caters, Hamid Wahbi is also a Grenfell Survivor and a 'Friend of YAA'. We entertained the crowd with esteemed DJ XL playing music and had local footballer and rapper, Risky Javan, MC the event, encouraging the player and keeping the crowd informed of the scores and interviewing the amazing young talent throughout the match. Local Barbers gave young people haircuts and the Metropolitan Police Outreach Team had a information stall to engaged young people; improving community relationships and signposting young people to career opportunities within the police force.

Click here to see the publicity

Impact

Nightlife had a very positive impact on the community. It promoted mental and physical wellbeing and provided a space for young people to make new friends, from neighbouring boroughs, in a safe environment. Nightlife also gave local teams the chance to compete in a major football tournament. It facilitated team building, resilience and camaraderie.

660 people

attended the tournament

383 football players

entered the tournament

50 teams

entered the tournament

10 partners

supported the event

800 *hot meals**, 800 deserts and 800 refreshments*

were provided

1 young person

from our U16 team got scouted by QPR

“I went from crime to football - my passion! Football makes me feel happy, I feel like I’m in another world.”

— U16 Footballer

“Do I think this is making a difference? 200%. There’s an opportunity for you to know what we do, why we do it, and equally important to understand their views of us because the feedback they give us is priceless.”

— JJ, Met Police Premiere League Kicks Coordinator

Young people’s feedback

The results of our survey demonstrate the importance of sport to our local young people’s physical and mental health and wellbeing. The event gave them a space to make new friends, strengthen relationships, and improve their wellbeing.

100%

of young people said football enabled them to make healthier lifestyle choices

97%

of young people said football
improved their mental health

46%

of young people said they had
made new friends at Nightlife

94%

rated the event as 4/5 out of 5;
very good or amazing

“It makes me feel happy and empowered. This community does so much for
me, I am grateful.
”

— U16 Female Footballer

“I am very thankful for being rewarded with a signed QPR shirt. I am grateful that girls can now have the same opportunities that boys can (in football). And thank you for recognising my talent for football as I one day aspire to make it professional.”

— Female Footballer, 13 yrs old