Leeds United duo visit Combat Café to mark Remembrance Day | OneFootball

Ahead of Remembrance Day, Leeds United stars Sean Longstaff and James Justin paid a special visit to our Combat Café to learn more about the initiative and meet the veterans that attend the weekly sessions.

The Leeds United Foundation veterans programme takes place at Elland Road every Wednesday, free of charge, and exclusively for people who have served our country, providing an opportunity for them to socialise with like-minded individuals and enjoy light exercise, with the main aim of combatting isolation and any mental health problems they may be suffering with. The Combat Café offers a safe place for veterans with the opportunity to improve their health and wellbeing through a weekly meeting routine.

To kick off the recent session with the two first-team players, each person in attendance introduced themselves and shared their service history, expressing details such as where they served, and how long for. Some of the veterans also divulged personal information around their struggle since being home and how the Combat Café had been a truly incredible support for them, with some of them even saying it had saved their life.

The Leeds United duo then got involved in a Yorkshire-themed quiz, which was narrowly won by the midfielder, featuring questions about the county’s famous foods, sayings, and traditions, before the entire group headed pitchside to lay wreaths and honour a moment of silence.

Commenting on the day, Justin said: “It was really nice to hear a few of their stories and how long they've served. The group are here every week to help keep that camaraderie together and keep them feeling like a family, and it's been great to hear the impact this programme has on them, just through having a coffee and a chat every week.

“Everyone, or a lot of people that I know and that I'm around, are involved in some capacity and so I think it is really important that we honour that. This time of year is a time to reflect, congratulate and thank those people that are serving now and that have served in the past."

“It's massive first and foremost to meet amazing people who have served the country in different ways, and the way they put other people before themselves is really special,” added Longstaff. “For me and James to be new players and to come into the area, it's nice to get down to one of the sessions and just meet people and also hear them talk a little bit about Yorkshire and what it means to them to be from the area!”

Simon Wood, Head of Health and Wellbeing at the Leeds United Foundation, also spoke to LUTV and said: “It's always fantastic when players come down and see the work that we do within the community, but I think with the poignancy of Remembrance Day, it's always nice to have a visit from some of our first team players to help mark the occasion.

"It was nice because the veterans got a chance to share their experiences, where they've served, how many years they've served, and the players got to hear some of those experiences and hear how the café benefits mental health and stops them feeling socially isolated.

"We also had a little bit of fun with a quiz which was quite hard for the two players, and got the room laughing, and then it was nice for the Sean and James to be able to pay their respects with the veterans by laying the wreaths at the side of the pitch. I think when the club and the Foundation come together and do events like this, it shows a real connection and a family feeling around the place, and for me, that's what football clubs are all about.”

All club and Foundation staff at Leeds United took part in a two-minute silence at 11am on Tuesday 11th November to mark Remembrance Day, taking time to remember those who have served and sacrificed for our country, to ensure their courage and bravery is never forgotten.

If you would like to learn more about the Leeds United Foundation’s Combat Café programme, please click HERE.

Supporters still have chance to win the online raffle for the worn and signed Dominic Calvert-Lewin poppy shirt, from the win over West Ham United at the end of October. Please click here if you would like to take part in the raffle.