Abs Nanabawa is one of our Gloucester City PAN Disability Football Players. His first contact with Goals Beyond Grass was in late 2021, when he was referred to us by Create Gloucestershire. He is visually impaired, which challenges him in many different situations, on and off the football pitch, which caused him to feel socially isolated after moving to Gloucestershire in 2019. When Abs was referred to us via Create Gloucestershire, we had only recently set up our Gloucester City PAN Disability football teams, which Abs wanted to play in. This was due to his love for football, his desire to meet new people, and improve his fitness.

On the football pitch, Abs struggles to see the ball and his surroundings, which cause him to have great difficulty passing the ball, and shooting. However, this doesn’t stop him. With help from the GBG team, Abs manages to negotiate his way around these challenges, and is a strong player, and a leader, in our Development team, that play in the Gloucestershire FA Disability Counts League.

When he first arrived at our PAN football sessions, Abs felt “Socially Isolated, nervous, and low in confidence”, and ‘he was anxious because of the new environment, and a feeling that the help he needed wouldn’t be provided to him’. The Goals Beyond Grass team helped him through this stage, showing that any help that he needs will provided, from tying his laces on his boots for him, to having a spotter on the side of the pitch, telling him where the ball is going and where he should be to give him the best chance to score, which he has done in both of the last two ‘tournaments’ (as the matches are only 6-a-side and 25 minutes long, all of the teams will head to one venue and play 1 or 2 matches against each team in their league).

“Being part of a team is amazing, as we all work together to overcome each other’s disabilities, and get to the level that we need to compete as a team in the FA Disability Counts League.” – Abs Nanabawa.

Off the football pitch, Abs has seen an improvement in his Mental Health and Wellbeing, because he is regularly playing the sport that he loves, and he gets 2 hours of social interaction each week which he wouldn’t have otherwise. He also helps with other Goals Beyond Grass initiatives, such as helping us come up with ideas to improve social isolation outside of sports, like our new Food, Fun, and Friendship group, which invites people into a warm space, to chat and have some warm food.

Amelia takes part in our frame football sessions. She has cerebral palsy, so frame football is a great way for her to develop stronger muscles. Amelia loves our sessions, shown here as she celebrates her fourth goal.  

The DM project first started in 2019 when we established the forest of deans very first Powerchair Football team! Following this, we were asked to take ownership of Cinderford’s PAN football team and created a team for those with Learning Difficulties. These disability football train at the Dene Magna School and come under the Forest Boars name.