Building Something New: V7 Academy’s Journey Through HAF
V7 Academy was founded in January 2026 with a simple aim: to provide adults in the local community with a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment where they could enjoy football, meet others and stay active.
Following the success of the adult provision, V7 Academy quickly recognised an opportunity to extend its offer to children and young people. In April 2026, youth football was launched with just six children training at a local park.
Since then, the programme has continued to grow, with more than 40 children now taking part. V7 Academy has developed both boys’ and girls’ youth football opportunities and established an Under-10s team.
Alongside the youth programme, V7 Academy continues to provide recreational football for adult men and women. In September 2026, the organisation reached another milestone with the launch of an open-age men’s football team.
In less than a year, V7 Academy has grown from a small local football initiative into a thriving community. Its ambition is to continue creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to participate in football, build confidence, improve wellbeing and strengthen connections within the local community.
Using HAF to reach more children
The Bring it on Brum! programme provided V7 Academy with an opportunity to reach even more children and families across Sparkhill and the surrounding communities.
The programme expanded far beyond football, offering children a varied programme of activities designed to keep them active, engaged and having fun throughout the day.
Children were able to take part in:
- Outdoor activities and sports
- Swimming
- Arts and crafts
- Boxercise
- Dance
- Food awareness activities
- Football and other physical activities
- A range of additional enrichment opportunities
The variety of activities was important because it allowed children to experience things they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to try. It also meant that children with different interests, abilities and confidence levels could find activities they enjoyed.
For V7 Academy, HAF was about creating positive experiences and giving children opportunities to discover something new.
Learning about healthy lifestyles
The HAF programme also provided opportunities for children and adults to develop a greater understanding of food, nutrition and healthy eating.
Food awareness activities complemented the physical activity programme, helping children understand the connection between what they eat, how they feel and staying active.
The programme also encouraged families to think about how they could make greater use of the green spaces available within their local community.
Through encouraging children and families to utilise their local park for physical activity, play and family days out, HAF helped demonstrate that staying active does not always require expensive facilities or organised activities.
Building connections within the community
The HAF funding enabled V7 Academy to work with a wider section of the local community and provide a programme that brought children together in a safe and positive environment.
For many children, the programme was an opportunity to make new friends, develop confidence and experience activities outside of their usual routines.
For families, it provided access to free activities during the school holidays while also offering reassurance that their children were spending their time in a supportive and welcoming environment.
The programme also strengthened V7 Academy’s position within the local community, helping the organisation develop relationships with children and families who may not previously have engaged with its football provision.
Creating memories that last
At the heart of V7 Academy’s HAF programme was the belief that children should have the opportunity to experience a summer filled with fun, activity, friendship and new experiences.
The HAF funding made it possible to facilitate a broad range of programmes and activities that may otherwise not have been accessible to local families.
For V7 Academy, the impact goes beyond the individual activities delivered. The programme has helped create positive memories, introduce children to new interests and encourage them to remain active within their community.
It has also created a pathway into V7 Academy’s wider provision, giving children the opportunity to continue participating in football and physical activity beyond the HAF programme.
A parent’s perspective
The value of the programme is reflected in the experiences of the families who took part.
One parent shared:
“Being able to have my daughter attend has been a real blessing. She has loved every moment of it and it has also helped me as I work and find it difficult to find childcare during my work times. The staff have been amazing and my daughter made loads of new friends.”
This highlights the wider impact of HAF. For families, the programme is not only about activities for children; it can provide vital support during the school holidays, helping parents and carers manage work and childcare while knowing their children are safe, active and engaged.
Looking ahead
V7 Academy’s journey demonstrates how quickly a community organisation can grow when opportunities are created around the interests and needs of local people.
From six children training in a local park to more than 40 young people involved in youth football, alongside adult recreational football and a new open-age men’s team, V7 Academy has developed a growing community around sport.
HAF has strengthened that journey by enabling the organisation to reach more families, offer a wider range of experiences and introduce children to the benefits of being active, eating healthily and connecting with their local community.
As V7 Academy continues to grow, its ambition remains clear: to create inclusive opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy football, build confidence, improve wellbeing and develop lasting connections within their community.