England Walking Football – February Newsletter 2026

Standing Together — On and Off the Pitch

Welcome to our February edition as England Walking Football continues to build momentum both on and off the pitch. It has already been another busy and positive month across the organisation, with strong performances, growing participation, and fantastic community engagement at every level. As we move through 2026, our focus remains clear — to promote excellence, inclusivity, professionalism and community spirit throughout the walking football family. 

The continued support from our players, volunteers, partners and supporters is what enables us to keep pushing the game forward and creating new opportunities for everyone involved.

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll find highlights from recent fixtures, inspiring player initiatives, important community moments, and updates from across our squads. Thank you, as always, for being part of the England Walking Football journey. Let’s keep the momentum going. ⚽️

✈️ Calahonda Tour: Competition, Community and Compassion

A huge thank you to Team Spain for hosting us so brilliantly in Calahonda!

From highly competitive games to the shared commitment to continuing the development of women’s football, this trip had everything. We’re proud to be part of a growing community that pushes each other to be better both on and off the pitch.

Beyond the football, it was fantastic to strengthen existing friendships and create some great new ones too. Add in the beautiful weather, plenty of laughs, and some quality football — it really was a special few days.

On the pitch, England came out overall winners on this occasion. The Over 40s recorded two wins and one defeat, the Over 50s were outstanding with three wins from three, and the Over 60s battled hard to secure one win, one draw, and one loss, against strong opposition. 

While in Spain, members of the England Walking Football community also came together for a very special and moving moment. We stood united on a memorial walk in memory of Victoria Hart, who tragically lost her life in January to domestic violence. 💜 

The walk helped raise awareness and funds in support of Victoria’s children, and we remain committed to standing together against domestic abuse. If you or someone you know needs support in the UK, confidential help is available via the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247. 

⚽Men’s Over 40s – Competitive Progress in Nottingham

Our second Men’s Over 40s international fixtures delivered exactly the kind of test we were looking for, with a brilliant afternoon of football in Nottingham against Midland Irish and Sealand.

Across the group, matches were tightly contested and highly competitive. England 40s White impressed with wins over Midland Irish (5–4) and Sealand (1–0), while England 40s Blue produced a strong unbeaten run, including victories against Midland Irish (1–0) and England 40s Red (3–0). England 40s Red also battled hard, picking up a solid 2–1 win over Midland Irish in a closely fought group.

These competitive fixtures are exactly what we want and need at this stage of our development, and the progress across the squads continues to be very encouraging.

The occasion was made even more special as the Over 40s players were proudly presented with their honorary caps following their matches against Welsh Dragons at the end of last year — a well-deserved recognition of their commitment and performances. Well done to all involved! 🙌👏

❤️ EWF Steps Up for Inclusive Football

England Walking Football were honoured to sponsor a number of memorial caps presented in Liverpool to the fantastic Heracles Almelo Youth Powerchair Football Team. In addition to the caps, EWF players were proud to contribute towards the team’s mini bus fund, helping ensure their tour could be a huge success. 

Every player involved is a true champion, and we are delighted to support the spirit of inclusivity that makes our football community so special.

A special mention goes to England Women’s 60s Manager, Melanie Benson, who did a wonderful job organising the Dutch team’s week-long tour — featuring stadium visits, competitive fixtures and memorable celebrations. Huge thanks also to our England 50s player Sarah Clements and her friend Tracy Godrich for driving the minibuses and supporting the tour throughout the week. It was also fantastic to see many other familiar faces turn out to support and chip in — a true reflection of what our walking football family is all about.

A brilliant initiative showcasing football, friendship and the power of inclusion. 👏⚽

🎙️ Check Out the Walkie Talkie Podcast 

We’re pleased to highlight the excellent Walkie Talkie UK podcast channel, hosted by our England Over 70s Manager, Simon Atherfold and his friend Dave Brookes. 

The channel is packed with great conversations, insights, and stories from across the walking football community. It’s well worth a listen for players, coaches, and supporters who want to stay connected with the game and hear from some of the people helping to drive it forward.

👉 Check it out and subscribe here:
https://www.youtube.com/@walkie-talkieuk

Let’s support Simon and continue growing our amazing walking football community both on and off the pitch.

💪 Miles of Smiles from Our Over 60s Women

Our fantastic Women’s Over 60s squad have been embracing the Fit Your Age Challenge throughout February — and what an inspiring effort it has been!

The challenge encourages players to clock up their age in miles each week through a variety of activities including walking football, walking, running, cycling, swimming, pickleball and more. It’s been brilliant to see the team fully committed, supporting one another and prioritising their fitness both on and off the pitch. Initiatives like this highlight just how important staying active is at every stage of life. 

The monthly target of 1005 miles was exceed with the women totting up a huge total of 1468 miles!! 

The dedication, energy and positivity shown by our Over 60s women continues to set a powerful example across the walking football community.

Keep those miles coming — we’re proud of you all! 👏⚽️

🧤 Goalkeeper spotlight - Hitchell Heroics Earn the Draw

England Veterans (EVFC) Over 70s were held to a 1–1 draw by the Silver Foxes in Leicestershire, despite creating plenty of chances. England Walking Football Goalkeeper Ken Hitchell was in fine form between the posts, producing a number of confident saves — including an excellent late stop to ensure England earned a share of the spoils.

Well played, Ken and the squad! 👏

🌱 Giving Back to Grassroots Clubs

At England Walking Football, we remain committed to supporting the wider walking football community by sharing our coaching expertise to help grassroots clubs grow and succeed.

We were delighted to support a recent Coaching Day at Stratford Town Walking Football Club where UEFA B Licence coach Mike Walker and goalkeeper coach Keeley Jones — both England Walking Football coaches and managers — generously gave their time and knowledge to deliver a high-quality development session.

Their experience, clarity and attention to detail provided huge value to everyone involved, with a strong focus on learning, development and raising standards across the club. Initiatives like this are a vital part of strengthening the grassroots game and ensuring clubs have the tools and confidence to continue progressing.

If your club could benefit from some help and support, please don't hesitate to get in touch ⚽🎓

Paul Marsh - Stratford Town player receiving his England Men's 40s cap 

🏆 Club Success Round-Up

Congratulations to British Allsorts on being crowned champions of the Women's Birmingham League top division — a fantastic achievement after a season of quality performances against strong opposition. Great to see lots of EWF faces involved too!Well done too to 40s best buds Kelly and Pav, who celebrated success at the Cheshunt tournament — a brilliant result. 👏And congratulations to Sue Baines, Sarah Clements and Laura Garraway, who helped Blackburn Women’s Walking Football Club secure the Bolton League title. ⚽️👏Fantastic to see our community thriving across the leagues!

🛒 Kit Orders Online

You can order England Walking Football kit packages and separate additional items directly from our website. This now includes the option of a brand new personalised kit bag, the bags are a great size with a separate boot compartment in the bottom, perfect for tournament travel. 👉 Order Here

📋 Governance 

Just a reminder that all policies and procedures can be found in our EWF Men and EWF Women's sections of our website. We're always looking for volunteers with particular skills and expertise that can help us to progress. If you have any questions, or would like to know more, please email: keeley@englandwalkingfootball.co.uk

📍March Charity Internationals  

There will be no training in March due to our men and women's international tournaments in aid of Prostate Cancer UK and Coppa Feel. 

Our men's squads will take to the field at Boldmere on Saturday 7th March and our women will be out in force at Castle Vale on Sunday 8th March - celebrating International Women's Day with friends from Celtic Nations and Wales. 

📆 Tournament and Fixture Calendar - 2026

You will have seen on Spond that we're working hard behind the scenes to fill up the diary for 2026, ensuring there is plenty of football for everyone. There will be more to come as we're building relationships with other nations all of the time. Please remember to indicate your availability on Spond and be reminded that this doesn't guarantee selection. Please hold off booking travel and accommodation until you hear from your team manager. 

We appreciate there is a lot planned and that not everyone will be able to attend every event, we want to ensure there is a variety of opportunities at different costs and times of year so that there is something for everyone. 

EWF's priority will be the Masters World Cup in August - please ensure you keep this free as your managers will want to select their strongest squads. 

📣 Let’s Grow Together – Follow & Share!

Please follow and share our pages to help our Walking Football community thrive.

• 🌐 Website: https://www.englandwalkingfootball.co.uk
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570737868294
• 🧑‍💼 LinkedIn: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570737868294
• 🐦 X: https://x.com/englandwalking?s=21&t=eXYr7COnFBI91yKxAyOYLg
• ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EnglandWalkingFootball

📸 Your content matters — whether it’s a photo, a match result, or a great moment, help us celebrate everyone fairly by sending in updates, especially during tournaments!

💷 Support Us for Free – Easy Fundraising

Support England Walking Football every time you shop online — at no cost to you!

How It Works:

1. Sign up for free: Easy Fundraising - England Walking Football (EWF)
2. Shop as usual through the platform
3. Retailers donate a portion of your spend to us!

Your support helps fund more training, equipment, and opportunities.

Scan the QR code below or visit: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/england-walking-football-ewf

Stay Connected & Get Involved

We value your voice. Got ideas, feedback, or want to get involved? Reach out via our website or on social media.

Thanks for being a valued member of the England Walking Football community.

Stay active. Stay connected. Keep walking with purpose!

⚽🚶‍♂️– The England Walking Football Committee