02 June 2025
This week (2nd-8th June) marks Volunteers’ Week, an annual celebration of volunteers and their contribution to society. One of our colleagues in the north-east has fully embraced the spirit of volunteering, leading a local project to improve the health and wellbeing of men in the community, through a shared love of football.
James Ritchings, Property Manager at FirstPort, was a keen footballer in his youth and enjoys the opportunity to discuss football with residents and colleagues. Like many men and women around the country, the distractions of day-to-day life eventually took him away from not only the sport he enjoyed, but the regular exercise that helped maintain his health and fitness.
Looking to regain control of his physical and mental wellbeing, James rediscovered his love of the sport, joining like-minded men in his local area, for weekly games, aimed at men looking to get fit and enjoy the social benefits of a team sport.
Reflecting on his own journey back into football, James commented: “I hadn’t played football for around eight years. I struggled mentally not being able to play, so it was great to find an environment where everyone was rediscovering their love of the sport, whilst also improving their fitness.
“I lost about two stone, my confidence came back and I just fell in love with it again.”
After experiencing the health benefits of physical activity, for James and his fellow players, improving fitness meant they have been able to play to a higher standard, and even enter competitive football. This led to James, alongside his friend, David Mohan, founding a new local football club, Cleveland Steel Football Club.
Over 40 men have joined the club, who attend midweek training sessions and play matches on Sundays. Despite its rapid growth, the purpose of the club has remained consistent, underpinned by the aim of getting men into sport, to benefit their physical fitness and mental wellbeing.
James added: “We now have an FA-registered football club, and next season we’ll be entering a team into a league, for those that are now looking to play competitively. We also have a second team that continue to play friendly matches, so the club remains available for our members to play regularly and enjoy the health and social benefits, in an environment that works for them.
“One of our players has lost around 10 stone since joining us. It’s incredible, he’s like a different person!”
As Cleveland Steel continues to go from strength to strength, they recently caught the attention of the Middlesbrough FC Foundation, and were invited to take part in a charity match at the club’s Riverside stadium. Leading the team on the day, James took the manager’s seat in the dugout, emulating previous Middlesbrough managers including the likes of Sir Gareth Southgate, as well as current Men’s First Team Head Coach, Michael Carrick.
Reflecting on the club’s success, James concluded: “Not many can say they’ve managed a team at Middlesbrough, never mind in front of friends and family. It’s a proud moment, not just for me, but for every single one of the lads that’s been on this journey.
“The club started as a space for men to get back into shape and enjoy the game we all love. But more than that, it’s about the mental health benefits, the camaraderie and finding a sense of purpose through sport.”
