On Friday June 7th, Football Beyond Borders celebrated a decade of empowering youth with their annual showcase event in London. This milestone event, held at the iconic Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, highlighted ten years of impactful work and community building.

Football Beyond Borders is a charity MEA has worked with for a number of years, with the mission of helping young people who are passionate about football to finish their education, with the skills and grades to make a successful transition into adulthood.

Among the stars of the day was Tommy S, a dedicated participant in FBB's Play Forward programme, developed in partnership with Marcus Rashford. Tommy's journey with FBB has been remarkable. His dedication and hard work led him to feature in Nike's England kit campaign, garnering widespread recognition within the FBB community. This recognition culminated in a personal invitation from FBB's chief executive to speak on stage at their showcase event.

Tommy confidently shared his experiences with the Play Forward programme and discussed his future aspirations. His confidence and passion were evident, lighting up the stage and inspiring all in attendance. The moment was made even more special with a surprise video message from Marcus Rashford, congratulating Tommy on his achievements.

Tommy's growth since joining FBB has been phenomenal. He has become more resilient and self-aware, showing significant improvements in his behaviour and self-conduct.

FBB have said, “we are incredibly proud of Tommy's journey and his accomplishments this year. We believe this is just the beginning for Tommy, and we look forward to his continued success.”

Amazing work, Tommy. Keep it up!