Community News: ‘At the heart of the community’

Article by Nadia Laing

Dunstable Town FC: The Beating Heart of Our Community

Dunstable Town FC isn’t just a football club it’s a lifeline, a meeting place, and a source of strength for hundreds of local people every single week. While match days bring excitement, it’s the work happening Monday to Friday that truly shows what this club stands for: connection, wellbeing, and belonging.

Across the week, the clubhouse/CBS Hub and local facilities transform into a hub of support groups, social activities, and inclusive sport. From mental health peer support to dementia-friendly walking football, the club opens its doors to people who need community the most.

A Week at Dunstable Town FC

Monday: Sphere

The week begins with Sphere, a peer-led mental health support group that has been running for four years. With 16 members, it offers a safe space for people in recovery to share experiences, build confidence, and feel understood.

Tuesday: Blues Together

Tuesdays are all about connection.

Blues Together brings 25 members together for social activities that break isolation and spark joy from breakfast clubs to walks, bingo, and more. It’s simple, warm, and incredibly impactful.

Photo: Breakfast Club at the Fly by Cafe LGC.

Wednesday: SOUL, Walking Football & Men United

Midweek is buzzing.

• SOUL, another long-running mental health peer support group, welcomes 14 members

navigating recovery with compassion and solidarity.

• Walking Football kicks off with part of its 141-strong membership, a thriving community

of older adults staying active, social, and competitive in a supportive environment.

• Men United provides a dedicated space for men’s mental health, giving 12 members a

place to talk openly and without judgement.

Photo: Wednesday’s walking football session.

Thursday: A Day of Connection and Care

Thursdays are packed with groups that tackle loneliness, health challenges, and the need for community head-on.

• Two Walking Football groups run, including a dementia-friendly session delivered in partnership with Tibbs Dementia Fellowship.

• Let’s Talk, run with the NHS Recovery College, supports 15 people with lived experience of mental health difficulties.

• Chums & Crumbs, a collaboration with Titan PCN, brings 25 people together who may be lonely or socially isolated proving that a cup of tea and good company can change someone’s week.

• Women’s Walking Football gives 10 women a space to stay active, build friendships, and enjoy the game at their own pace.

Photo: The Chums & Crumbs group.

Photo: Thursday’s walking football group.

Friday: Walking Football

The week rounds off with more Walking Football a testament to just how many people rely on this club for fitness, friendship, and fun.

More Than a Club. A Community Anchor

Every group, every session, every conversation at Dunstable Town FC reflects a simple truth: football may be the badge, but people are the purpose. With hundreds of members across its programmes, the club is quietly transforming lives reducing loneliness, supporting mental health recovery, and creating a community where everyone belongs.

This is what it looks like when a football club becomes a force for good. This is Dunstable Town FC.

Edit: Men’s and women’s recreational football have been added recently too.

For all community activities please go to: dunstabletownfc.co.uk/community-activities