Arsenal celebrates 25 years of community work

5.5 million hours of service invested in 1 million participants 

Arsenal Football Club celebrated 25 years of commitment to its community for a week culminating in an event at Emirates Stadium where Arsène Wenger spoke of the importance of Arsenal’s role and responsibility to the community. 

For the last quarter of a century, Arsenal in the Community has invested over 5.5 million hours and involved 1 million individuals, across a wide variety of sporting, charitable, educational and social inclusion projects in London and overseas.

To mark the milestone, Arsenal in the Community shared the work it undertakes with Arsenal players who visited an array of projects throughout a week.

Speaking at the event, Arsène Wenger said: “We are very proud to celebrate this milestone.  People often only see a little part of the Club which is the football team but there is a tremendous amount of work at other levels and that includes a huge contribution to helping people within our surrounding community and beyond.

"Arsenal has many responsibilities. We pride ourselves on enriching and propelling people’s lives forward by devising and developing projects that help to overcome the ever-changing issues that affect our society today. Of course it’s not the most glamorous part, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the most important one.  It’s very important for everyone in the Arsenal community to take a look back at 25 years of dedicated work and participation and reflect upon the future when we will continue the great work and grow even more projects to involve our supporters and the community at large.”

Throughout the week, Theo Walcott visited the Arsenal short mat bowls team which was founded by senior citizens in 1985 and Emmanuel Eboue saw Arsenal’s primary school initiative ‘World on our Doorstep’ in action.  The scheme draws parallels between the Club and the multicultural north London area in which the Club is rooted. 

On Wednesday, the award-winning education project, the Arsenal Spanish Double Club, welcomed Manuel Almunia.  The education initiative has its roots in the ‘double’ winning season of 1998 when Arsenal in the Community piloted a scheme which fused football with learning.  The Double Club uses football and Arsenal related resources to raise interest and attainment levels in school subjects in the classroom which is followed by football coaching sessions.

On Thursday, Arsenal players Gael Clichy and Thomas Vermaelen accompanied Arsène Wenger at Emirates Stadium to listen to stories from participants on various initiatives before toasting 25 years of success.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown commended the department’s work and said:

I congratulate Arsenal in the Community for what they have achieved over the last 25 years.  Inspiring our communities builds stronger communities, something I have been passionate about for many years. Arsenal has a lot to be proud of and I am sure the next 25 years will be just as inspiring." 

Arsenal in the Community was founded in February 1985 when Vic Akers OBE (Arsenal’s first team kit manager and Arsenal Ladies General Manager) was appointed the Club’s first community liaison officer following the creation of a national programme which encouraged young people in urban communities to participate in recreational and competitive sport.   Since this time, head of Arsenal in the Community, Alan Sefton has grown a collection of projects, which have responded to the needs of its community. 

Reflecting upon 25 years of Arsenal in the Community, Alan Sefton said: “All of our programmes embrace a cross section of community involvement and they’re delivered and received with the same energy and commitment today as when they started 25 years ago. To us, that’s the true test of success. 

We hope that everyone involved with Arsenal in the Community enjoys this week of celebration and gains inspiration from the memories and stories of participants.  We have looked back to look forward.  Here’s to another 25 years and reaching more people through our programmes than ever before.”

As part of the celebrations, Arsenal Football Club has produced a booklet entitled, ‘Community Review’ which takes a look back on 25 years of dedicated commitment and looks forward with pledges to supporters and the Arsenal community.  Copies of this booklet are available on a PDF on Arsenal.com or in hard copy format through the Club’s communications department. 

For further informtion visit www.arsenal.com/community