Watch Sophie’s story and find out how Street Football Wales helped her get back on her feet
How football helped Sophie go from hopeless to hero
Sophie, 20, grew up with parents who had problems with drugs and alcohol. She would be left in the house for weeks on end with just her brother. Sophie said: “Your Mum and Dad are supposed to protect you.” As a result, Sophie developed post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered from anxiety and depression. She fell in with the wrong crowd and things started going from bad to worse.
Then one day she realised she needed to turn her life around.
In 2017 she joined Street Football Wales, a project funded by The National Lottery. Project Director, Keri Harris, said: “We’re a sporting project. We use sport as the tool to get people to come along. We don’t really turn anyone away.”
Now, when Sophie plays she hears people chanting her name and cheering her on – she turns up with a smile on her face and she feels like she’s part of something.
5th July 2019
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