County in the Community participants will participate in a 10-mile sponsored walk on Thursday 15th October to help raise funds for the We Wear the Same Shirt initiative.
WWtSS started out four years ago when County in the Community received funding to set up a local grassroots mental health football session. This programme was set up specifically for people living throughout the Gwent area who have or experienced mental health problems.
The ethos of the group was to gather people together socially, all of which had a common passion in the love of football.
Initially, there were only a few attendees, but the word soon spread that there was a non-competitive friendly local football group, that welcomed both male and female from all backgrounds.
County in the Community and WWtSS went from strength to strength, and travelled to play in friendly tournaments with similar grassroots teams.
The programme now has, on average, 12 to 15 regular players and have also held mini matches during Newport County AFC's home games at Rodney Parade, as well as at Swindon Town’s County Ground during the half time break.
Participants are always looking at ways to raise money to keep the sessions going - including quizzes, raffles and even a golf day.
During lockdown, isolation, separation and loneliness has ensured it has been a challengeing period for everyone, whilst other health issues nationally have caused more than just a pandemic.
It has been discussed and decided that County in the Community should boost funds and positivity by organising a sponsored walk. They will be walking from Newport to the boundaries of Torfaen, and are hoping to raise a minimum of £500 to help with new kit and equipment, as well as sundries such as pre and post-session fruit and drinks.
The JustGiving page has already received £385 and you can make a donation by visiting www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/wwtss