England Walking Football – November Newsletter

A Warm Welcome from the England Walking Football Committee

What a month it’s been for England Walking Football! November delivered excitement on every front—internationally, domestically, and across our growing community.We enjoyed an incredible international trip to Cyprus, where our men’s and women’s squads represented England with pride both on and off the pitch. 

Add to that two excellent training camps here at home and a series of major club tournaments, including the prestigious National Finals at St George’s Park, and it’s clear our players have been busier than ever.

Our women’s programme has taken another big step forward, with two outstanding appointments to the management team. This means every women’s squad will now benefit from 100% dedicated, high-quality coaching and support—a huge milestone for the pathway.

Meanwhile, preparations continue for the men’s game, with the Over-50s trials set to take place next month as we begin shaping the squads for the year ahead. With momentum building, standards rising, and excitement growing across all age groups, one thing is certain:

Bring on 2026!

🛫Cyprus vs England - 21st - 23rd November 2025

England’s Walking Football squads enjoyed an unforgettable three-day tour to Alana Sports in Paphos, where high-quality fixtures, exceptional sportsmanship, and warm Mediterranean hospitality combined to create a truly special experience.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Lynne, Mick, and the entire Cyprus Federation of Walking Football for organising the trip and making every player and staff member feel so welcome. 

Alongside the matches, both the men’s and women’s squads took the opportunity to bond off the pitch—sharing meals, exploring the area, and even taking part in some friendly volleyball battles on the beach. New friendships were formed, old ones strengthened, and a deep mutual respect grew between the England and Cyprus squads.

👉 Read the full report here

🛒 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

📣 New managerial announcements

Mel Benson Appointed England Women’s Over-60s Manager

We’re delighted to announce Mel Benson as the new Manager and Head Coach of the England Women’s Over-60s Walking Football squad. Mel brings exceptional experience, passion, and commitment to developing the women’s game, making her an outstanding addition to the programme. 

Mel is well known for her ambassadorial and charitable work, particularly in relation to the women's game and disability football. 

England Manager Mike Walker said:

“We’re thrilled to welcome Mel Benson to the England Walking Football family. Her passion, experience, and dedication give me complete confidence in the future of the women’s over-60s squad.”

Please join us in welcoming Mel as she leads the team into an exciting new chapter!

Rachel Harwood Appointed England Women’s Over-50s Manager

We’re delighted to welcome Rachel Harwood as the new Manager and Head Coach of the England Women’s Over-50s squad!

With more than 25 years of experience in girls’ and women’s football, Rachel brings exceptional knowledge, passion, and leadership to the role. She’s already delivered excellent sessions for our players and is committed to helping the women’s programme grow nationally and internationally.

Women’s Manager Mike Walker said:

“Rachel joins us with an impressive CV and has already delivered top-quality coaching sessions. Expanding our coaching team ensures every age group receives the dedication needed to develop and succeed on the international stage.”

Welcome to the team, Rachel! 👏

💪 November Training Round-Up

Our women had the pleasure of sharing training this month with the fantastic women's Celtic Nations teams. This provided the opportunity for a series of competitive training games that we would welcome again next year. 

Our men's training camp started with a respectful 2 minutes silence on remembrance Sunday and was followed by energy and hard work, with teams putting in the preparation for Cyprus. 

More caps were awarded too...

⚽ Club success 

This month, lots of EWF players have celebrated success with their clubs. Congratulations to Droylsden on winning the Benalmadena Ladies Walking Football Tournament and for British Allsorts who were runners up. Sara Clamp picked up GK of the tournament too!

Ken won the Canarian plate in Tenerife with La Chafiras, with Kate representing Workington St Josephs too.

EWF were represented well at the National Finals, taking place at St George's Park. Congratulations to Colin and Mac for coming home Champions with Bolton Arena. 

📍 December Training 

Women's training

🗓 Sunday, December 7th

🕐 13:30 - 15:30 Women's O40s, 50s and 60s 

📍 Summerhill School, Lodge Lane, Kingswinford, DY6 9XE

🗓 Saturday, December 13th

🕐 13:30 - 15:30 Men's O50s (trials), Men's O60s and 65s

📍 Farnborough Rd, Birmingham, B35 7LQ

⚽ A top-quality 3G pitch, with changing rooms, free parking and a bar for an obligatory pint afterwards!

🎉AGM & Awards - Tickets Nearly Sold Out!!

🗓  January, 17th 2026 - EWF AGM and Awards evening, including sit down meal and DJ

📍Great Barr Hotel, Birmingham

👉 Book your tickets here - ONLY 8 REMAINING! 

📆 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. 

⚽ Men's Over 50's Open Trials 

We pride ourselves on transparency and offering opportunities to all at EWF. We have run open trials in all other age groups previously and now it's the turn of our Men's Over 50s.

Trials are now fully booked and taking place on Saturday 13th December.

Good luck to all taking part. 

📣 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