Football has long been a source of pride in the North East, uniting people through a common devotion and celebration of the sport.
A local tournament in Shieldfield, Newcastle, is encapsulating that spirit, using the vehicle of football as a way to strengthen communities and improve lives by offering a time for expression to locals who perhaps need it most.
Having just completed its 6th edition, the event, named ‘The Shieldfield Community Cup‘ is much more than a football tournament.
Located just east of the Newcastle city centre, the initiative was as popular as ever this year, and is increasing in stature annually, serving as a community-driven event, bringing together those who live in the area for a day of footballing fun.
Created by artist Andrew Wilson, the tournament is ran entirely by volunteers and aims to unite the diverse range of people that live in Shieldfield, an area that lacks the social infrastructure of other parts of the city, through a collective love of football.
In the words of Andrew, “We try to make the invitation part of it as open as possible, regardless of your race, gender or your football ability even. We try to make it a participatory thing, whereby anyone can feel like they can contribute.”
Participation is without any charge, and Andrew emphasises that “if you turn up and want to play, to eat, or volunteer, everything is free at the point of access.”
In recent years, the social cohesion of Shieldfield has diminished, as places and facilities that encourage interaction have repeatedly shut down as a result of economic pressures.
“If you look at neighbourhoods like Shieldfield, a lot of the ‘social places’ have gone. There used to be 20-odd pubs, there is not one now. There was a social club, that doesnt exist anymore either” Andrew stated.
“For me this then created a question – If humans aren’t encountering one another, if there’s no socialising, no opportunity for social cohesion, then what kind of lives does that result in?”.
Andrew, although not born in the city, has a strong connection to Newcastle and Shieldfield in particular, with his studio situated in the area’s centre. His recognition of this social deprivation is what birthed the idea for the tournament, wanting to encourage participation and foster new relationships. And to him, football was the perfect mechanism to do just that.
Since the first Shieldfield Community Cup in 2019, the reception it has received has been exceptional, and year upon year it has succeeded in bringing together residents of all ages, races and abilities.
“You have got full grown adults against children, old people with dodgy hips, some people who have never even played football before” Andrew said.
“But you see them taking care of eachother, and that was the thing for me that made me realise: this can work”
In the last couple of decades the demographic of Shieldfield has changed a lot, in part at least contributing to the lack of social activity that exists in comparison to before the turn of the century.
The array of ethnic backgrounds and the class structure was previously generally similar, but now, like many places in the country, Shieldfield is extremely diverse, and is only going further in that direction. People are unique, and with that diversity, finding a common interest to unite them can be tough, but through football, Andrew has found the formula.
“People’s lives are increasingly different, there are people here from all different pockets of the world. In that sense the question was, how do you bring these people together around a common culture?”
“I think that is where sport, and in this case football, is a very useful mechanism in bringing people together.”
“It is a relatively easy way to overcome the almost invisible barriers and borders that exist between different kinds of people.”
Residents of Shieldfield and neighbouring areas are making the most of the event. Joseph Chisholm has lived his entire life in Shieldfield and told me about how his friends and family have experienced the event.
“They have told me it is a great day out, people come out of their shell and get involved. It heightens that sense of community as people come together and do something they enjoy”.
According to Joseph, the introduction of the cup, and it’s popularity this year, has certainly had a positive impact on Shieldfield, describing how “it really does enhance the sense of community.”
He intends on attending the next edition of the tournament, with Andrew confirming plans for the event to continue.
“The cup is almost part of a cultural programme that is now emerging from within the neighbourhood. It’s got a structure now, people understand it, and it could keep going for generations really – so long may it continue” Andrew added.
The Shieldfield Community cup has been a hit once again, and by bringing people together through the medium of football, it is doing wonders for those in the area. It is an indicator of how sport can be used for the greater good and with plans to maintain the cup for years to come, the community within Shieldfield will continue to grow.