The Homeless Open Opportunities Football (HOOF) League is pleased to announce a new initiative with HMP Leicester, aimed at supporting prisoners facing homelessness upon release by providing access to vital support services.

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Karl Percival (Football Development Lead, LRCFA) with Laura Pacey (Learning and Skills Manager, HMP Leicester), Julia Conlan (Strategic Housing Specialist, HMP Leicester), and Lee Flannagan (Senior Community Harm Reduction Worker, Falcon Support Services).

The HOOF League, an initiative delivered by the Leicestershire & Rutland County FA (LRCFA), Falcon Support Services and Turning Point, consists of six support services across the Midlands that meet monthly for organised football festivals.

Each service plays a crucial role in supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, offering assistance with employment, substance abuse rehabilitation and more.

Recently, Football Development Lead Karl Percival and Falcon Support Services Senior Community Harm Reduction Worker Lee Flannigan delivered a football session to 12 prisoners at HMP Leicester.

This session aimed to inspire a love for football while highlighting the opportunities available through the HOOF Football League after release. The partnership seeks to use football as a tool to encourage prisoners to connect with support services, helping to reduce the risk of reoffending.

Karl Percival, Football Development Lead at Leicestershire & Rutland County FA, emphasised the transformative power of football in rehabilitation. He said: "The HOOF League is all about giving people second chances and letting football inspire positive change in their lives. It’s important to support prisoners reintegrating into society, and for many, football can be a big part of that.

“If wanting to join the HOOF League is the catalyst for someone to engage with the services available to support them, then that can only be a positive thing for themselves and their communities."

Julia Conlan, Strategic Housing Specialist at HMP Leicester, commented: “I am really excited about our new partnership with the HOOF League as it is a great way for prisoners to get involved with football, while also acting as an incentive for them to access support services in the community.

“Integrating football into rehabilitation and resettlement not only enhances the lives of prisoners and prison leavers but can also contribute towards reducing reoffending. By encouraging such partnerships, we can continue to support individuals in their journey towards positive change and social contribution."

Laura Pacey, Learning and Skills Manager at HMP Leicester, added: “Our new partnership with the HOOF League is an extremely positive initiative for the men in our care. I believe that football is a universal language, capable of bringing together unlikely people and benefitting health, social connections, and overall wellbeing.

“I felt immense pride during the football session, seeing all the men genuinely elated with smiles on their faces. It serves as a reminder of why I joined the Reducing Reoffending team at Leicester."

Prisoners' Reactions

The initiative has already received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the prisoners who participated:

• "We need to be doing more of this."
• "Thank you so much for organising this, it’s amazing."
• "So fun and engaging, and I would like to participate in this again. It was a credit to the team at Leicester."

Get Involved with the HOOF League

The HOOF League hosts fixtures at County FA HQ on the last Wednesday of each month (12-4 PM), providing opportunities for over 70 people to play football so far. The league is currently seeking volunteers to help develop and run the initiative, ensuring the best outcomes for everyone involved while expanding to include more teams and players.

If you are interested in volunteering a couple of hours a month, there are a variety of roles available:

Matchday Volunteering – On-site roles during matchdays:

• Matchday Coordinator
• Referee
• Photographer

Casual Volunteering – Flexible, ad hoc roles:

• Fundraiser
• Admin Support (uploading monthly registers to Book Football)

If you are interested in volunteering with the HOOF League, please contact our Football Development Team via email at Development@Leicestershirefa.com.