Home Game by Mel Young and Peter Barr sampler

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10 home game for granted can slip from our grasp. But in those young and idealistic days, I thought this was a plague that would pass. That we would find a way to help those homeless people back into a community. A cure for their – and our – ills. But still, fifty years on, homelessness is everywhere. No country is immune from it. Now, as the world wrestles with the aftermath of a pandemic, it’s even more clear how many lives are lived right on the edge. I am one of the fortunate ones. I’ve never lacked a bed for the night. I’ve never had to go to bed hungry. I’ve always belonged to a tribe, usually several at a time. One of those tribes is football. When I go to games, whether it’s a cup final or a Sunday afternoon women’s game in a snowstorm, I still feel part of that tribe. We recognise each other, whether or not we know each other’s names and histories. We nod acknowledgement, we exchange a few words, we have a laugh. We talk about our team’s prospects, we swap stories of past glories and ignominies. We belong. And belonging always brings us hope in the dark times. For homeless people, there is little sense of belonging. And so, there is often little hope. Since the Homeless World Cup began, that has changed for many of the lives it has touched. Men and women have been brought together by street soccer. They’ve trained together and worked together to build something beyond themselves. They’ve met people like them from all over the world, and shared their stories, finding common ground, common dreams. For many of them, life after the tournament has changed forever. They’ve gone on to jobs, both inside and beyond sport. They’ve found their tribe. They have homes. Wherever the tournament has been played, its impact has spread far beyond the pitch. Spectators have fallen in love with the spirit and courage of the players. Their stories have moved strangers who now see for themselves the humanity of the drama
foreword by val mcdermid 11 being played out before them and have taken away a fresh understanding, better equipped to help change the minds of others. Hope spreads like that. Home Game outlines the journey so far of the Homeless World Cup. It’s an astonishing story of what can happen when people find the determination to build a change for the better. Its stories tell of heartbreak but also of hearts bursting with achievement. It demonstrates how a game can be a game- changer. That progress and those achievements have provided inspiration beyond homelessness and beyond football. This year sees the release of a Netflix drama The Beautiful Game starring Bill Nighy, Micheal Ward and Valeria Golino. Written by acclaimed screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce, it takes the viewer on the Homeless World Cup journey from isolation and despair to camaraderie and possibility. The more people see the film and the tournament, the harder it will be for the politicians to turn their backs on homeless people. It’s time to say it loud and clear – it’s not a luxury to have a home, it’s a human right. It’s time we all found room in our hearts to help end homelessness. Joining the Homeless World Cup family is the first step in realising that goal. Val McDermid Val McDermid is an internationally best- selling writer, broadcaster, activist and trustee of the Homeless World Cup Foundation. She lives in Edinburgh, home to the Homeless World Cup hq.
Page 3 and 4: mel young is President and co- foun
Page 5 and 6: Home Game The True Story of the Hom
Page 7: For the players
Page 10 and 11: 8 home game 11 The Story Continues
Page 15 and 16: 13 Introduction This is not the sto
Page 17 and 18: hold your breath time 15 The scale
Page 19 and 20: hold your breath time 17 Melbourne
Page 21 and 22: hold your breath time 19 with hiv/a
Page 23 and 24: hold your breath time 21 For Chandr
Page 25 and 26: hold your breath time 23 Team India
Page 27 and 28: hold your breath time 25 While so m
Page 29 and 30: hold your breath time 27 Every word
Page 31: committed to publishing well writte

Home Game by Mel Young and Peter Barr sampler

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