2020 can walk on by - these footballers are desperate to get back on the pitch

Old Bexhillians Walking Football Club enters its seventh year of existence with optimism after what was a tough 2020 for everyone.
The Old Bexhillians walking footballersThe Old Bexhillians walking footballers
The Old Bexhillians walking footballers

The club are well aware of the heartbreak that Covid-19 brought so many families – and say that for sports clubs like ours it was also extremely difficult in other ways.

Having discovering over-50s could participate in organised football again after many had hung up their boots earlier in life, it was difficult to find in March that they could not be involved in the club again on a social or playing level.

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While fully realising the reasons why social distancing and group mixing had to be controlled, the need and desire to play was never far from players’ minds.

The presentation to Cllr Lynn LanglandsThe presentation to Cllr Lynn Langlands
The presentation to Cllr Lynn Langlands

They were able to undertake limited sessions again last September after the initial lockdown and, by implementing the various measures laid down, involving temperature taking and cleansing surfaces and hands, this continued through to the middle of December.

Walking football rules were strongly enforced to minimise any body contact.

There were 50-odd playing members who were meeting up for Tuesday morning sessions up to Christmas, held in Egerton Park in a converted tennis court as their indoor base at Bexhill Leisure Centre was closed down because of the pandemic.

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At one session members met the mayor, Cllr Lynn Langlands, and handed over a cheque to help her food bank initiative.

Now players must wait until the situation improves with hopefully infection rates rapidly decreasing and hospitals settling back to some normality before sessions can resume and a social side can once again kick off.

The club have grown in leaps and bounds since their initial sessions in 2014 thanks to the work of Age UK South East, who continue as one of their sponsors together with Harold’s Hog Roast and SBS Consumables. It was in 2015 the club really took off with weekly sessions, organised tournaments, friendlies against other walking football clubs and social and other activities from Charity quizzes, golf and clay pigeon shooting. We aim to support local charities were possible and our social events and charity quiz nights are held with this very much in mind.

When sessions ceased in March they were competing in the East Sussex Walking Football League for the third year running after winning it for the previous two years.

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There were plans to play other local clubs and had a range of social events lined up.Members will be made aware of starting dates and events through email bulletins to registered people, on their Facebook page and at obwfc.org

Details about sessions can be obtained from club leader Mick Davis on 07961 998743 or by emailing him at [email protected]