MAN v FAT Football coming to Bury for free following tonnes of success for Greater Manchester men

A club that encourages overweight and obese men to get fit and adopt healthy lifestyle choices is starting in Bury on Tuesday 2 April, with free places available for men looking to show the red card to excess weight, thanks to a partnership with the local council.

Across the last 12 months, MAN v FAT Football has helped 450 Manchester men lose over one tonne (2,200 pounds) of excess weight at seven clubs in Greater Manchester, in areas including Bolton, Salford, Stockport and Wigan.

The new Bury club will run at Radcliffe FC’s Neuven Stadium on Tuesday evenings from 7pm, starting on 2 April, and will be run in collaboration with Bury Council’s Bury Live Well Service.

The partnership with Bury Council will allow men from participating postcodes in the area to benefit from a free 14-week season with the programme, funded by the council.

According to Public Health England data published in April 2023, 64 per cent of adults in Bury are overweight or obese.

Recent research from the National Food Strategy review estimates that every unit of body mass index put on by every individual raises the UK’s annual healthcare costs by £16.

Created for men with a Body Mass Index of above 27.5, MAN v FAT Football has more than 8,000 players taking part in over 150 clubs across the UK. The total amount of weight lost by MAN v FAT players in the UK currently stands at over 630,000 pounds.

At the start of a MAN v FAT session, players are weighed to assess their weight loss progress across a week. 30-minute games of six-a-side football then take place with extra goal bonuses awarded to teams based on their weight loss. A team’s combined weight loss and match scores then contribute to its league position within a club.

Councillor Tamoor Tariq, cabinet member for adult care, health and wellbeing at Bury Council, said: “I’m hopeful this will contribute to our key objective around reducing health inequalities and empowering more people to start to live a healthy lifestyle, leading to better health outcomes and reducing demand on our health services. I would encourage as many people as possible to take part.”

MAN v FAT Football’s Regional Manager in the North West, Stu Normansell, explains: “The weight lost by men at our Greater Manchester clubs is testament to the sheer hard work and determination shown by the players taking part and our incredible coaching team, who lead the programme in the region.

“While the main aim of the programme is to help men lose weight, MAN v FAT is about so much more than that. Lifelong friendships are formed at our clubs and thousands of players across the UK have benefited from an improvement in their mental wellbeing, as well as their physical health.

“The programme is perfect for men who want to get back into playing football but might initially feel nervous about doing so due to their fitness levels. We encourage non-judgmental behaviour, body positivity and losing weight at a healthy, sustainable pace.

“We are delighted to be able to offer free 14-week seasons at our new Bury club, thanks to funding from Bury Council, which will be funding places for new players from certain postcode areas.”

Sign up for MAN v FAT Football Bury ahead of its 2 April launch, here: https://manvfatfootball.org/bury

In addition to football sessions, MAN v FAT players also receive off-the-pitch support including healthy meal recipe ideas and tips on general fitness. Players also get full access to MAN v FAT online gym, so they can train in their own time at home.

To find your closest MAN v FAT Football club, visit: https://www.manvfatfootball.org/Leagues/FindALeague

ENDS

Press release issued: 15 March 2024.