In 2014 two local business men invested in a small declining sports club called Beechcroft Tennis Club. Since then much has changed and the club is no longer exclusively for tennis but other sports too. One of the most popular being Walking Football……
Beechcroft benefited from a Sports England grant in 2014 for the resurfacing of the courts and now boasts a brand new astro multi-sports surface.
Birmingham Walking Football Club evolved from Beechcroft and it wasn’t long before sessions had to be segregated into age groups. Running everyday except Sunday the timetable soon became full. In 2015 Beechcroft won Solihull Togethers ‘outstanding project delivered in the community’ award for its Walking Football initiative, followed by a Mars ‘Just Play’ organiser award. BWFC are affiliated to The Walking Football Association and were the first club in Birmingham to be affiliated to Birmingham County FA for our walking football program.
Later the club was granted planning permission to install floodlights to create more time during the winter months for sport, followed by new twin bar fencing and ball stop netting thanks to a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Still the sessions grew and in 2016 the club expanded to the accommodate the increased participants to a new purpose built Walking Football site in Solihull (Solihull Football Centre). The club has worked with Age UK, Age Concern and Birmingham BID to help provide bespoke sessions and encourage vulnerable players into sport.
Through one of the new members Kevin Mann and his company Advanced Colour Coatings , Beechcroft and BWFC found a club sponsor to provide walking football kits for the Mens and Womens Walking Football teams.
The club has had its success stories over the years….. The over 50’s men’s team FA Peoples Cup Finalists 3 years in a row, Birmingham County League Winners in 2017 & 2018, National Champions 2017 & Runners up 2016. Runners up in EFL Trophy 2017, winners of Champion of Champions Trophy 2017, Kidderminster Cup Winners. Worcester winter cup winners, London Cup Winners 2017 and Regional Champions 3 times. The clubs over 65’s have also won Nationals amongst others. BWFC ladies team won the inaugural 2019 FA Peoples Cup title and the over 50’s Dick Kerr Ladies Cup winners two years in a row.
With sessions for over 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 65’s, 70’s, less mobile and women only, and competitive teams for each age group BWFC currently has over 700 players at the two sites making us the biggest Walking Football Club in the world!
