2020 for the Aston Villa Foundation

This year has been a difficult year for us all, and many aspects of what the Foundation does had to be adapted to meet the changing needs of the local community.

Here are just a few highlights from this year:

Packed Lunch Distribution

When the pandemic started, matches were postponed and we were able to donate packed lunches that would have otherwise gone to waste to homeless charities across Birmingham.

A total of 850 packed lunches were distributed, providing meals to vulnerable people in the community.

Villa Kitchen

Villa Kitchen is Aston Villa's food initiative. When the pandemic started, the project was expanded so it could help more people in the community. 

The project was initially designed to feed the city's homeless population, but throughout the pandemic it also provided food to local housing associations and schools so that families and children who are struggling could be provided with meals.

The Big Villa Sleep Out 2020 raised over £14,000, all of which will be going towards the Villa Kitchen.

We have committed to feeding children and families during the school holidays who are not eligible for free school meals but are still struggling to eat, until the end of the academic year.

Villa Vision – Match of the Day and Official Launch

Our Villa Vision project was officially launched on December 8 and was featured on BBC's Match of the Day 2 in the same week.

The programme, which has been launched in partnership with the Premier League, the PFA, Aston University and Essilor, is designed to draw attention to the importance of eye health, providing classroom workshops, vision screening and free glasses to schools and children who require them.

Aston Villa defender Matty Cash spoke about the project in the Match of the Day feature, saying: “It’s great to educate kids, parents and teachers on the importance of eye health. It’s fantastic, really good.”

Virtual delivery across programmes

When physical delivery became impossible due to COVID-19 restrictions, our programmes evolved so that participants could still be supported safely.

Programme leads set up regular video calls and meetings to allow participants to catch up, with the Dementia Café one such programme going virtual. Participants were able to reminisce and participate in fun and safe virtual activities, ensuring they had someone to talk to during this difficult time.

In December, Dean Smith joined the Dementia Café participants on one of these virtual catch ups - take a look at the heart-warming moment below.

Midwives

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Aston Villa began looking for ways to help the local community and ease the pressure on the NHS. Villa Park was opened up as a facility for Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, providing clinics to help local mothers of newborn babies.

The facility opened at Villa Park on April 27, providing postnatal and antenatal appointments.

Appointments for new parents and newborn hearing screening tests were also run at Villa Park.

Foundation Ambassador Programme

The Foundation's ambassadors were announced during the start of the 2020/21 season, seeing a host of famous faces join the Foundation to support our work in the community. 

DJ Nathan Dawe, Harry Potter star Oliver Phelps, ex-Aston Villa player Ian Taylor, broadcaster Michelle Owen, England and Warwickshire cricketer Ian Bell, Olympic medallist Katharine Merry and Luke 1977 owner Luke Roper all signed up as Foundation ambassadors.