Canary Wharf Football Academy

Grassroots Football Awards - London FA Project of the Year 2019

With nominations now open for the 2020 Grassroots Football Awards, we catch up with some of our 2019 winners.

With the 2020 Grassroots Awards Nominations now open, the London FA are looking back and catching up with our 2019 winners.

The Canary Wharf Football Academy won the Grassroots Project of the Year accolade in 2019. One year on, London FA caught up with Foysol Ali, one of the founders of the academy, to discuss what it meant to win this award. 

A massive congratulations to the Canary Wharf Football Academy for winning Grassroots Project of the Year 2019!  Give us a brief overview of the academy’s history and what you guys do? 
The Canary Wharf Football Academy (CWFA) was established in November 2018 by three brothers, Ayas Ali, Aftar Ali and Foysol Ali; after more than 25 years of supporting various local charity organisations throughout Tower Hamlets borough. We decided to venture and open an academy around the Canary Wharf area where we live with the ideology of giving local children a chance in life to experience professional coaching sessions whilst eradicating health and social issues.

CWFA was developed to provide access for local disadvantaged children in Tower Hamlets, with rise in child obesity and health concerns we wanted to create a fun, creative and enjoyable environment which allows boys and girls of all abilities aged from 3 to 14-years-old to take part in high quality football coaching sessions delivered by qualified FA and UEFA badge holders.

Our aim is to encourage young generation an active lifestyle, developing communication skills, help to stimulate social skills, developing fundamental movement skill and to tackle against child obesity in Tower Hamlets.

How does the Canary Wharf Football Academy impact the local community? 
Since we started we have been receiving positive reviews from parents, participants and on social media platform, as the academy is accessible for all abilities it creates a community cohesion which encourages children's active lifestyle and wellbeing.

Canary Wharf Football Academy has made a significant positive impact on local community, for example; tangible decreases in crime, increases in youth engagement, driving girls, disability & all football participation.

Why is it important that projects such as the Canary Wharf Football Academy exist? 
Projects like Canary Wharf Football Academy promotes activity and leisure, helps the environment, increases volunteering, jobs and education. It also creates a sense of community cohesion, participation and social wellbeing. A place where multiculturalism and diversity can be celebrated with common goals, to have a chance in life to excel in the professional development with aspirations.

The London FA would like to congratulate Foysol, Ayas, Aftar Ali and the Canary Wharf Football Academy on being awarded London FA Grassroots Project of the Year 2019 and wish them all the best in the future. 

You can make donations to the academy via https://www.spacehive.com/canary-wharf-football-academy. Likewise, you can keep up to date with their project on Instagram @canarywharffootballacademy and Facebook fb.me/canarywharffootballacademy

If you know of a football project which could win Project of the Year 2020, you can nominate them by clicking here