Zat Knight and Gretar Steinsson spent time last week at Burnden Leisure Centre learning all about the Premier League Health project launched by Bolton Wanderers Football in the Community earlier in the season with the support and funding from The New Football Pools and the Premier League to tackle men's health issues across the borough.

FITC is an independent and registered charity supported by Bolton Wanderers Football Club and one of its aims is to use the local passion for football to promote healthy lifestyles among families in the borough - the Premier League Health project will run for three years and specifically aims to help local males lead more fit and healthy lifestyles by using the attraction of the football club to engage local males between the ages of 18-35 that are unemployed, ex offenders, have low income, young parents and single parents.

Along with the physical aspect of the project, FITC aims to increase knowledge of how to access statutory healthcare and local health projects, create opportunities for entry to training services and pathways to employment and improve the overall health and well-being of men.



Zat and Gretar spent their time at the project playing cricket with the males in attendance, learning how to make healthy meals on a low cost budget, having their BMI tested and even practised their heading skills on the Wii Fit. Other activities available to the participating males include C.V writing skills and interview technique session.

Zat Knight said, "I had a great time coming along today to find out all about this project- I think it's so important that our Club are offering these facilities to our local community as they are encouraging for men trying to get back into employment or trying to gain new skills and qualifications or even just socialise with other men with similar interests."

Premier Health Health is a unique £1.63m programme funded by the New Football Pools and managed and administered by the Football Foundation to address rising men's health problems across the country.



The Premier League and The New Football Pools joined forces to tackle men's health issues, particularly in deprived areas all over the country. The funding is part of an overall £1.63million that has been donated to 16 Premier League Football Clubs by The New Football Pools.

Places for Players is a Premier League initiative which highlights to fans and the general public how Barclays Premier Clubs play an important role in their communities and encourages players to 'get their hands dirty' and take an active role in promoting what their own Club's community departments and Foundations do all year round.