Francis Coquelin has talked about the benefits of community work as Arsenal launched a new scheme for the homeless.
Francis is now one of the club’s longest serving players, having joined as a member of the youth academy in 2008, at the age of 17. He’s therefore had more time than most to get to know every aspect of the club inside and out, and one of the most important parts of the club off the pitch is the work that the Gunners do in the community.
The latest community programme that Arsenal are involved in is one which they have set up with Centrepoint, a charity which provides accommodation and support to homeless people between the ages of 16 and 25, with the aim to end youth homelessness and get young people into jobs.
The club launched the programme on Friday 4th August, and the Islington Gazette reports that Coquelin and Ainsley Maitland-Niles went along to the launch and meet young people involved in the scheme.
Nathan Auguste delivered the session, as someone who had previously needed to use Centrepoint to get back on his feet, and Coquelin and Maitland-Niles both got involved to help him.
Afterwards, Coquelin talked to the Gazette about his thoughts on Arsenal’s community work, saying: “I really like coming here (the Arsenal Hub). As footballers we live in a bubble. Community work brings you back down to earth. It’s good for me, and it’s good for them. It’s one of the things I really like about playing for Arsenal, as it does lots of work with its community.”
It’s an important part of Arsenal’s overall aim, to be more than a club that just buys success, instead to try and promote positive values, and give something back to the area that helps give them packed out stadiums every week.
This scheme in particular is one funded by the club’s charity matchday last season, where each player donated a day’s wages. Hopefully Coquelin can help pass on the message to the next generation of youth players that they should remember where they’ve come from and get involved.
Picture: Charlie Forgham-Bailey