The Arsenal Foundation

Arsenal stars play ukeleles at the Arsenal Hub

Arsenal stars like to warm up to music before a match but this was a new one on Jack Wilshere, Calum Chambers and Mohamed Elneny when they attended a unique music workshop to mark The Arsenal Foundation’s donation to fund three years of inclusive music events with The Funky Pie Company.

The Funky Pie Company uses music as a form of communication by employing skilled musicians and training them to teach and communicate with children, young people and adults with learning disabilities.

Each year, the Arsenal squad donated a day’s wages to The Arsenal Foundation, so they were invited to see a project that has benefited from their support back in August 2017.

Arsenal in the Community has for many years run regular inclusive events for local people engaging them in sport and arts. Music is always an important focus at our inclusion events as it is a powerful tool to stimulate emotions and skills.

The Funky Pie Company hosts a number of workshops, courses and events, encouraging children and young people to reach their potential through music. The support from the Arsenal Foundation will allow the Funky Pie Company to run outreach events around the country for the next three years.

Jack Wilshere said: “It was amazing to see how music can make such a difference to these young people. We got involved and had fun, but it was brilliant to see how the kids interacted so well.”

Luke Howard, Arsenal in the Community's disability officer, added: “At our events we reach out to people who may not usually have easy access to suitable and beneficial projects or events.

“We use our expertise alongside suitable projects that have been funded by The Arsenal Foundation to create unique events that can not only stimulate the participants but encourage families and carers to try new things.”

Aside from the inclusion events for people with low mobility, Arsenal in the Community run weekly sports sessions for people with physical and learning disabilities.

To see how the day unfolded and to watch our players joining in with the music session, click ‘Play’ on the video below.