Essien Helps Sports In The City Campaign

Michael Essien was joined by Capital FM's Johnny Vaughan at an adidas Blue Pitch close to the Bridge to support Help a London Child's Sport in the City campaign.

He was united with young people who have been taking part in football sessions delivered by Chelsea Foundation coaches at the adidas Blue Pitch on Eel Brook Common.

The Sport in the City program provides free sport to underprivileged youngsters from across the capital during the summer holidays.

'I wish I had somewhere like this to play but it was not the same for me when I was growing up,' said Essien.

'It is good to have pitches like this for the kids where they can learn how to play football.

'Football more than any other sport is good to help them, to keep them fit and to keep them away from the streets as well.'

Help a London Child's Sport in the City campaign is expected to capture the imaginations of over 4,000 children by giving them taster sessions in a variety of sports.

The activities taking place across Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth, Southwark and Islington include swimming, street dance, tennis, handball, netball, basketball, volleyball, boxing, squash, climbing, karate and gymnastics.

With funding from the Premier League's Creating Chances program and Chelsea's Community Shield allocation from the FA, the specially-designed program is being delivered by the London Coaching Foundation and members of UK Fitness Network.

'We're here to celebrate the partnership between Help a London Child and Chelsea Football Club for the Sport in the City program,' said Vaughan. 'It runs throughout the summer holidays to keep kids off the street and doing good things.

'You don't want children to stray, see who is kicking around during the day and fall in with the wrong crew when they're bored. So sport is just a great way to get them involved.

'It teaches all the right lessons about discipline, teamwork, valuing your own talent and what you've got. And there's a place for everyone on the sports pitch, so it's absolutely fantastic, it really is.'

Once Essien had met all the children at Eel Brook Common he moved onto the Linford Christie Stadium in the north of Hammersmith and Fulham to watch Chelsea Foundation coaches host a training session for the Barclays Spaces for Sports program.

The program is designed to strengthen communities through sport and currently boasts an average of 53,000 people using Barclays Spaces for Sports sites across the country. The Linford Christie Stadium is one of these sites and is utilized by Chelsea Foundation coaches to provide football sessions to children in the area.