Tackle has teamed up with Wiltshire Walking Football Club to help raise awareness of prostate cancer.
Walking football is different to regular Association Football and is aimed at the over 50s age group, teams are springing up across the country. Many tournaments are now catering exclusively for the over 60s age group. It has very specific rules that outlaw all running and allows no contact between players. Over-head height restrictions and indirect free kicks ensure that the sport is played safely with full consideration to the participants’ age.
Teams are either 5 or 6-a-side. As a result of these rules, games are played at a slower pace, often on state of the art 3G artificial grass pitches, thus reducing the threat of pain, discomfort and injury, with players briskly walking through matches. This allows people who have loved the sport all their lives to once again safely get back to playing and also introduces the sport to people who perhaps have never considered playing before.
Tackle have offered to supply all the Wiltshire recreational sessions with new bibs which will benefit the average 600 players who play across the area on a monthly basis. They are also providing both the Over 50 and Over 60 teams with a new set of shirts each along with new bibs.
Tony Norton, Lead Volunteer/Organiser for Wiltshire Walking Football (recreational) and the Chairman/Club Secretary for Wilts Walking FC said: “There are lots of worthy causes and charities for us to support but Tackle is not only a very appropriate name to be associated with Walking Football but a very appropriate cause for the age group concerned in walking football and currently mainly male players. We are very proud to be partnered with Tackle, not only because our team manager Alphonso Archer is now a trustee but we all want to help spread the awareness of the charity and encourage males to get checked early; early diagnosis can often result in higher chances of fighting this horrible cancer.”
Roger Wotton chairman of Tackle Prostate Cancer commented: “We are looking forward to the collaboration this coming season to raise awareness and funds. This could develop into a very useful way of encouraging men with prostate cancer to get regular exercise, stay healthy and have a better quality of life.”
Tackle has recently appointed Alphonso Archer as a Trustee to the charity. Alphonso has close connection with Wiltshire Walking Football Club. During his treatment period, Alphonso took up walking football which mentally and physically helped him to get through what was a very challenging time getting used the hormone and radiotherapy side effects.
Alphonso said: “This is the perfect partnership for us as we aim to get prostate cancer high on the agenda until it becomes a disease of less significance. I have made it to the other side and achieved some great successes on the way and want to spread positivity to all men and their families so that we can beat this by working together. I am really looking forward to working with the Board and all supporters to keep prostate cancer high on the agenda in all areas until this becomes a disease of less significance.”
