Extra Time Hubs with Bolton Wanderers in the Community offered Ken and Jim support in their time of need.

Both Ken and Jim have had to deal with a huge change in their lives, that left them lost after their wives sadly passed away.

As well as the grief that losing a loved one brings they found themselves in a position that they had never been in before, their interests and social groups became non-existent.

Although both men, complete strangers to each other, their stories are similar is so many ways and it’s their Football Club which has come to their aid..

Friends of both men recommended they give Bolton Wanderers in the Community Extra Time Hub a try.

The Hubs enable Retired and semi-retired people make the most of their free time and enjoy doing the things they want to do. With friendships, support and being the socially active forefront of the Hubs aim, participants decide what they wish to take in with various activities on offer from quizzes to walking football.

Adrian Bradley the EFL Trust’s Health and Wellbeing lead, explains, “With Extra Time Hubs we set out to do something different. Activities for Older people tended to be small coffee morning or bingo sessions. We want to create a social community of people in their retirement years who meet regularly to socialise and to do the things they enjoy, not what we tell them they should enjoy. We focus on the social side of the hub and help people to feel better by reducing their social isolation and loneliness. By getting people more socially active we nudge them towards more a physically active lifestyles – it’s health by stealth.”

With some convincing, both Ken and Jim attended their first sessions and it has become a highlight within their weeks.

Jim said: “The main benefits was to meet up with like-minded wonderful people and to join in the many activities provided by the superb team. It is one of the highlights of the week and it’s really helped my self-esteem!”

Ken echoed Jim’s thoughts as he explained: “I felt very welcomed by the group of attendees at Bolton Wanderers in the Community Extra Time Hub. They embrace me and make me feel very welcome. Over a period of 18 month since I first attended, I have become very good friends with a large bunch of people that I look forward to seeing every week.”