The Hull FC Community Foundation has successfully obtained funding from the Veterans’ Foundation for a two-year salary grant to employ a veteran in the newly-created role of ‘Pathways Officer’.
Subsequently, Steve Sampher has come on board with the club’s Community Foundation as Pathways Officer.
Steve’s role will encompass a whole host of different areas; including developing and maintaining partnerships with traditional armed forces and veterans’ agencies, representing the Foundation within the Hull Military Covenant Forum, and exploring communication strategies to reach new armed forces and veterans who are facing challenges with loneliness and isolation.
The Foundation currently delivers three projects supporting the local armed forces and veteran community, including ‘FC Veterans’, which is in its third year of delivery with the support of Veterans’ Foundation providing opportunities for veterans to complete coaching qualifications.
Armed Forces Covenant Fund supported projects’ ‘Part of the Team’ and ‘Game Plan’ provide a weekly programme of social and wellbeing activities for veterans and family members of all ages, focused on aiding reintegration and reducing loneliness.
Speaking to hullfc.com, Steve said: “As a life-long Hull FC supporter and a Hull FC Wheelchair player, to now to be working for the Hull FC Community Foundation is an amazing feeling and a very exciting opportunity.
“To have the chance to work with people around the club and across the city, I’m really looking forward to going out into the community and helping people.
“I’ve been volunteering at the club for quite a while now, working on a number of projects.
“Due to the injury I sustained whilst in the Army, I do have some struggles and challenges, but everybody at the club has been unbelievably accommodating, going out of their way to help me and make me feel as welcome as possible.”
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