On 13 October 2022, at a football training session held at the Cryuff Court on Ferry Lane in Tottenham, it was announced that former professional footballer Jobi McAnuff has been appointed as the official ambassador for Thru Life.
Jobi’s football career spanned 20 years and saw him make over 750 appearances for eight clubs including; Wimbledon, West Ham, Leyton Orient and Reading. In the 2012 – 2013 season, he captained Reading to win the EFL Championship which saw them promoted to the Premier League for the second time in their history. He also represented the Jamaican national football team and helped them win the Caribbean Cup in 2014. He played his final season with Leyton Orient in 2021 and retired from playing professional football.
He can now be seen regularly as a football pundit on several platforms including; Sky Sports, ITV and BBC Sport. In May 2022 he was appointed to the FA Board as a non-executive director and hopes to address issues regarding discrimination and equality affecting people in football at all levels.
Jobi, now a UEFA A licensed coach was on hand at the session supporting Thru Life coaches to deliver the football training. When asked about what the appointment means to him, he said:
“Richard asked me to be an ambassador for Thru Life and that was something I was incredibly proud to be a part of. I know Richard very well, and I know the area very well and spent many years kicking balls on this same court growing up. I know how important activities like this are – particularly in areas like this, where I came from and Richard grew up. It’s important to have positive role models and that togetherness and community spirit gives us the opportunity to get out and play the game we love.”
The session was part of an ongoing partnership between Thru Life and Get Out Get Active (GOGA) through Haringey Council. The GOGA programme supports disabled and non-disabled people to enjoy being active together. Activity Alliance is the creator and lead partner. It operates in partnership with various organisations across the UK. Funding is provided by Spirit of 2012, with additional investment from Sport England and London Marathon Charitable Trust.
GOGA was created in 2016 and takes place in 21 locations across the UK, with activities put on by a range of partners. The project aims to strengthen community spirit, increase confidence, and improve the mental health of its participants.
In a radio interview with BBC Radio London about Thru Life’s work in partnership with GOGA, Richard Allicock, Thru Life’s director of programmes, said:
“We want young people to come and get involved and engaged with the work we are doing, and we put on mentoring support throughout the whole process of what we do. And the message is that no matter what ability or background you are coming from, we all just want to come together and play together and be successful in our own right.”
Get Out Get Active funding supports the Thru Life programme “Fun and Fitness Thru Sport“. It runs at the Cryuff Court on Ferry Lane in Tottenham until 17 December 2022 with plans to resume in January 2023.
Read Jobi’s story on Thru Life’s ambassador page here: https://thrulife.uk/about-us/official-ambassador/
Get more details and register for the programme here: https://thrulife.uk/our-offer/fun-and-fitness-thru-sport/
Find out more about Thru Life’s partnership with GOGA here: http://www.getoutgetactive.co.uk/news/542-get-out-get-active-partner-with-thrulife-in-haringey
