Key Points
- New Partnership: The new partnership between Fulham FC Foundation and Carers Trust, a UK charity, seeks to help unpaid carers in south-west London.
- Respite and Wellbeing: This project seeks to assist carers to find necessary respite from caring activities through relationship-building and wellbeing events.
- Coaching Career Pathway: Activities will also involve a special 13-week programme for individuals aged 16+ to investigate football coaching careers.
- Integration Approach: According to Arianna Distefano of South West Londoner, Mathew Doolan said that at first, the project will be incorporated into an existing delivery approach of the Foundation reaching 12,000 people per season.
- National Care Crisis Context: Carers UK says that there are 3.33 million workers who have had to give up work to look after family members in the UK, while one in five of all workers is now a carer (150% more than in 2019).
- Community Engagement: The proposed activities will include a football festival, a dedicated stadium tour, a social day for adult carers at Fulham FC, and participation in wellbeing programmes for all.
- Local Demographics: Local research shows that about 15,000 people from south-west London have registered as unpaid carers through their GP surgeries.
South-West London, (West London Times) September 23, 2026 — uk/sports/fulham-fc/">Fulham FC Foundation has officially announced a new partnership with the UK charity Carers Trust to support unpaid carers across south-west London.
What Are the Main Goals of the Fulham FC Foundation and Carers Trust Partnership?
The initiative is structured to help carers take vital breaks from their daily caring responsibilities through a range of targeted activities designed to build social connections and improve overall wellbeing. Among the headline programmes announced is a 13-week course offering people aged 16 and over the chance to explore careers in football and coaching.
As reported by Arianna Distefano of South West Londoner, Mathew Doolan, head of business development and communications at Fulham FC Foundation, explained the operational approach:
“The approach is to work with the existing delivery model the Foundation has.”
Doolan further noted to South West Londoner:
“We engage with 12,000 people each season across the variety of different programmes we run in south-west London. While there might be specific events we put on in the future, initially we’ll be finding opportunities to offer carers support within our existing model of delivery.”
Why Is This Support Needed for Unpaid Carers in the UK?
The partnership announcement comes at a critical time as the number of unpaid carers across the United Kingdom continues to rise sharply. According to Carers UK’s latest report, 3.33 million people have left their jobs to care for loved ones, which translates to around 1,500 people every single day. Furthermore, approximately one in five employees in the UK now holds caring responsibilities, representing a 150% increase since 2019.
Addressing the broader societal impact, Sara Butts, head of corporate and business development at Carers Trust, stated as reported by South West Londoner:
“Unpaid carers make an enormous contribution to their families, communities and wider society, yet many miss out on opportunities to focus on their own wellbeing.”
How Will Local Networks and Activities Engage Carers?
The Fulham FC Foundation intends for the collaboration to actively raise awareness by working closely with local support networks across the region.
Laura Everton, insights and impact manager at Fulham FC Foundation, detailed the strategy to South West Londoner, stating: “Part of the work is raising awareness amongst the people we already engage with. The partnership with Carers Trust is to connect with local carers’ network hubs across south-west London so they can learn about the activities have and start attending our regular delivery, as well as events like the Football Festival.”
Other activities planned through the partnership include a football festival, a stadium tour, a social day for adult carers at Fulham FC, and access to an inclusive football and wellbeing programme. Everton noted that young carers are frequently unaware of their role or reluctant to talk about it openly, and the Foundation aims to change that dynamic.
“One of our biggest outcomes is raising awareness of what a carer or young carer actually does, using local sport to help normalise that conversation. We want to remove the stigma around those areas while also providing support for young carers,”
Everton told South West Londoner.
She added that the partnership is underpinned by local data showing that approximately 15,000 people in south-west London have officially identified themselves as unpaid carers through their GP practices. Highlighting the reach of these demographics, Doolan told South West Londoner:
“These are people that require support but are hard to reach. Sharing networks is going to bring positive results for the wider community,”
adding his hope that the collaboration will secure a lasting community impact.
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Background of the Particular Development
The collaboration between Fulham FC Foundation and Carers Trust emerges against a backdrop of mounting economic and social pressure on informal caregivers throughout the United Kingdom. As systemic strain on health and social care services intensifies, local football club foundations increasingly leverage their community standing and sports-based infrastructure to bridge gaps in public welfare.
By integrating wellbeing initiatives, respite opportunities, and career pathways into established community outreach models, organizations like Fulham FC Foundation are pivoting toward holistic social interventions that address hidden demographics, such as unrecognized young carers and hard-to-reach adult caregivers identified through primary care networks.
How This Development Can Affect Unpaid Carers
This initiative is anticipated to significantly improve the mental wellbeing, social connectivity, and career visibility of unpaid carers—particularly hard-to-reach adults and young carers—across south-west London. By embedding support within familiar sports and community frameworks, the partnership will likely reduce social isolation, help normalize caring responsibilities among younger populations, and dismantle local stigmas. For individual carers, structured activities like the 13-week coaching course and dedicated respite events offer tangible pathways back to personal development and professional exploration, directly mitigating the burnout commonly associated with long-term informal care.
