Foundation meet with HMS Portland

The game, which finished 8 - 4 to LFC's Military Veterans, was a real test of stamina and enjoyed by all.

Docking at Liverpool's Cruise Terminal last week, the 4,900 ton HMS Portland, was visiting the city for a four day affiliation visit and to be part of a NATO exercise.

HMS Portland's Commanding Officer, Captain Simon Asquith (OBE), said "My ship's company and I very much enjoyed bringing HMS Portland into Liverpool for our four day visit.

"We were delighted to take part in the football match at Liverpool's Academy with the veterans and strengthen the relationship with the club's charity, Liverpool FC Foundation.

"I would like to thank the Foundation and the club for hosting us and providing a very enjoyable afternoon."

Established in 2012, Liverpool FC Foundation's Military Veterans Programme, re-engages ex-military service men and women with physical activity helping to recapture their spirit of service and comradeship with like-minded professional military personnel.

Through a range of structured activities and projects, the programme helps to build confidence and self-belief and promotes health and wellbeing, education and re-employment opportunities, as well as providing a pathway to various local specialist support services.

The programme has established a weekly football coaching session at the Liverpool FC Academy, a weekly five-a-side football league, competitive 11-a-side football matches with other veterans teams all of which has resulted in over 3,000 participants benefiting from the programme's projects this year to date.

Andrea Cooper, head of Liverpool FC Foundation, added: "It was a great honour for us to host members of Royal Navy and showcase our fantastic Military Veterans Programme to them.

"We have a large ex-military community in the Merseyside region and our programme works hard to engage with and support the transition of those veterans back into civilian life with regular football coaching sessions and tournaments in the local area."