Blues Together: A community and football project for all

Written by Roberta ‘Bobbie’ Fowler

Blues Together - Improving the lives of others.

Have you heard about this group affiliated to Dunstable Town FC?

Well, I first came across people from Dunstable Town Football Club about 21 months ago at an event my doctors surgery advertised to learn about what is available to support older people and people caring for or who have dementia in Dunstable and Bedfordshire held at the Salvation Army Hall.

Andrew Madaras did a presentation about the club and two gentlemen Peter Bottom and Ian Bateman giving out leaflets for walking football. Having always been a bit of tomboy since primary school where I played in the boys cricket team, I had a love of activity in sport and was disappointed when at secondary school I was not allowed near any of the boys sports games, except mixed doubles in tennis and badminton.

At last was my opportunity to play football and to keep active doing something I knew that I would enjoy!

We had been dancing to keep active but that was no longer an option for my partner. We moved into Dunstable in December 2011 and had an existing social life but retirement for me and semi retirement for Bob found us realising we really did not know many people in the area and what was available to us.

Well for me, starting walking football at the Dunstable Centre provided by Dunstable Town Football Club and Tibbs Dementia Club has opened up a whole new world to us!

We have become part of the community ownership of the club as it has a marvellous management group who are actively supporting several initiatives in Dunstable bringing the community together! This is an ethos that met our values and felt we would want to support and be a part of.

You may already know of their Chums and Crumbs group, held at the Dunstable Centre, The Sphere group for self support for those Mental Health problems held at The Glider Pub.

They also have trained Mental Health first aiders at home games that are there and accessible for people to talk to on home match days. The club, in particular, Ian (Bateman) won a Bedfordshire FA Bobby Moore award last year for all his hard work with the walking football incentives.

Eighteen months on from my first kick of a football and we have both been learning more and more about the club’s management, the owners and the volunteers who are committed to the community of Dunstable as well as growing the football teams and improving the team’s results .

One of the current community management team is Peter (Bottom) who has been involved in football for many years from playing, coaching and running youth teams had a vision of bringing people who are involved in anyway with the club together, in a framework of the supporters, the management/directors, players, volunteers and those in the wider community of building friendships and the concept of Blues Together was born.

Peter had a vision and for some reason best known to himself, he asked if I would be a part it a team of three, to initiate ideas and a programme that would provide venues and activities available for social events, that anyone to come along to meet up and build connections and friendships across our diverse Dunstable community.

This was back in January and Peter who has so much drive and local knowledge posted to us three, what we have managed to achieve in six months below!

Blues Together update.

8 social events done

4 x Breakfast Club meetings at the Fly by Cafe

1 x Sponsored Walk

1 x Mecca Bingo

1 x The Globe pub

1 x The Glider pub.

Total people attending = 80

Total individuals attending = 53

What a start. Well done, the three of us thank you for your support.

This group will help our Football Club to grow - Building Friendships 💙

Sub note: I felt this should be acknowledged in some way for one man’s vision is becoming a reality, so for the first time in my life I’m writing an article!

So at the moment we are a small team of three , myself and James Smith, led by Peter, which is about to expand and become four with Andrew Madaras coming on board. Due to Peter’s and others making connections through our community, we are supported by local businesses, such as GJ Roofing (who also sponsor the football club), Phoenix Heating and of course the Dunstable Town Football Club.

We have upcoming events planned, more of our popular breakfast clubs where people can just meet up for a great breakfast and make or catch up with regular friends at the Glider Club Fly by Cafe, a chat and a pint at The Glider pub on 11th June at 7pm. There is to be a group walk on Dunstable Downs to the Five knolls on Sunday 29th June at 10.30 am, suitable for wheelchair users, a go at your own pace to enjoy with others!

A family picnic and fun day, during the summer holidays, a group trip to Dunstable Town’s first away game in Clapham on 19th July and an afternoon planned to watch Dunstable Cricket team and support a fellow sports team in the community.

These will all be advertised with full details on the Dunstable Town website and social media outlets.

All I can say is that in 18 months from knowing nothing about Dunstable Town FC, I am now helping to bring this wonderful idea of Blues Together to fruition.

I’ve also been co-opted onto the walking football club committee, I now have responsibility for welfare in that group, I am a joint owner and so I think Peter and Dunstable Town FC are great innovators for our town and its community and they should be congratulated on their efforts.

Meanwhile, if you want to meet new friends and just explore what makes good communities and a football club, come along to one of our events and join us on this venture!

We will be very pleased to meet you.

Roberta (Bobbie) Fowler

The team:

Peter Bottom - Project Lead

Roberta ‘Bobbie’ Fowler - Project Support

James Smith - Media Lead & Project Support

Andrew Madaras - Project Support

#towntogether #youareenough