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![Homeless World Cup: More Than a Pitch, a Place to Belong]()
by Shelby Becker
Homeless World Cup Amsterdam 2015
The newly installed synthetic turf pitches from Act Global hosted hundreds of homeless individuals for eight days of football and fellowship.
Aalten, Netherlands – September 20, 2015
For eight days, over 500 individuals of varying backgrounds, nationalities, ages and interests, came together in Amsterdam’s Museumplein centre for the 13th Annual Homeless World Cup.
With a shared love of football, the participants gathered to play on the new 4G turf pitches, provided by synthetic turf sponsor Act Global and their installation partner Sallandse United. Thousands of fans, volunteers and media members from around the world joined in Amsterdam to welcome the players, and celebrate their perseverance and resiliency. In the end, Mexico claimed double victory, with both the men’s and women’s team coming out on top.
While the new pitches provided a durable, consistent and attractive playing surface, for these players they also symbolized a place of belonging. On the pitch, the playing ground is equal. Prejudices are left on the sidelines. Players build relationships, trust, responsibility, dedication and a sense of community.
“To have three brand new playing surfaces meant so much to the Homeless World Cup and to the players. For these individuals, the pitch is a place for them to feel empowered and part of a group, to have a place and a purpose,” said Russell Smith, CMO of Homeless World Cup. “For many of these players, this is their spark for change.”
According to the Homeless World Cup website, an estimated 100 million people are homeless worldwide, and as many as 1 billion lack access to suitable housing. A survey of Homeless World Cup players found that:
- 94% say the Homeless World Cup positively impacted their lives;
- 83% improved social relations with family and friends;
- 77% changed their lives significantly because of their involvement with football; and
- 71% continue to play the sport.
South Korea’s Yoonbo Sung said, “Throughout this competition I have gained confidence. The Homeless World Cup has given me the confidence I need and I will be using this experience when I get home to continue to rebuild my life.”
And the tournament will continue to impact players for years to come. Former Scotland Goalkeeper Toby McKillop who competed in Santiago 2014, had struggled with drug addiction for years, and found himself feeling desperate after having lost everything—his home, his partner, his family, and his daughter Molly. McKillop nearly lost his life, but following rehab, joined Street Soccer Scotland, and made his way to the Homeless World Cup in Chile.
“The Homeless World Cup has completely changed my life. It’s very hard to explain what it is that the whole experience gives you. Something changes inside. The way you see yourself. You are positive. Everything is now a possibility for you and you know what’s important in life. Life, now, is all about building my relationship with Molly. Everything I do now, staying clean and living life, I do it for Molly,” said McKillop.
Act Global co-owners Chris Clapham and John Baize experienced the emotion of the games at Amsterdam’s Museumplein first-hand.
“It’s been a privilege to attend the Homeless World Cup, and witness the impact the event has on the players, fans and surrounding community,” said Baize. “This event truly exemplifies the positive influence of playing sports and its ability to impact lives. We are proud of the players and honored to be a part of this fantastic event.”
“We are a very passionate company. We care very passionately about the world and people around us,” said Clapham. “And with that passion and enthusiasm, comes social responsibility. These are the most rewarding parts of our business.”
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ABOUT ACT GLOBAL
Act Global is a world leader in synthetic turf technology, with a full range of artificial turf for sports (Xtreme Turf), landscaping (Xtreme Lawn), aviation (AvTurf) and land reclamation (LiteEarth). Act Global is notable for currently being the first company in the world that is a FIFA Preferred Producer for Football Turf, Synthetic Turf Council Certified Manufacturer, World Rugby Preferred Turf Producer, and holds an ISO 9001 certification.
ABOUT HOMELESS WORLD CUP
The Homeless World Cup is on a mission to inspire life change through the power of football. The annual football tournament brings together teams from partner organizations from around the world in a celebration of their hard work and the personal transformations they enable. The event also brings the issues of homelessness and social exclusion onto a global stage, raising awareness and changing perceptions of homelessness. Ninety-four percent of past participants say that the event positively impacted their lives. Founded in 2001, the Homeless World Cup and its partners now span 74 countries, and has impacted the lives of 1 million homeless people worldwide.
Shelby Becker is a creative content creator and marketing specialist at Act Global. She’s an animal rights activist, avid concert-goer, and scary movie enthusiast. Follow her on LinkedIn .
For more information, contact marketing at sbecker@actglobal.com
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by Shelby Becker
Carpell Surfaces and Act Global will again supply and install the synthetic turf at Montreal Olympic Stadium, which will also be used for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™. This is the first time synthetic turf will be used throughout an entire FIFA senior World Cup. The partners also supplied artificial turf which was used for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014 with success.
The high-performing FIFA Certified pitch will feature the finest materials for world-class performance. Act Global’s highly durable Xtreme Turf DX system contains an exclusive fibre blend from Bonar Yarns which outperforms other monofilament systems on a variety of measures. The artificial turf will be expertly installed by Carpell over a Schmitz Foam ProPlay shock pad and finished with TPE infill. Following stringent, independent field testing, the pitch will be used throughout the tournament, including the quarter-final and semi-final matches.
The FIFA Testing and Certification criteria are based on the benchmarks of natural grass fields in good condition, to ensure the best playing surface for the elite women’s world cup players. As a FIFA Preferred Producer for Footbal Turf, Act Global has supplied more than 100 FIFA Certified fields around the world.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 will take place from June 6 to July 5.
Shelby Becker is a creative content creator and marketing specialist at Act Global. She’s an animal rights activist, avid concert-goer, and scary movie enthusiast. Follow her on LinkedIn .
For more information, contact marketing at sbecker@actglobal.com
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by Shelby Becker
New Xtreme Turf pitch at Chiwembe Technical and Development Centre in Malawi
FIFA Certified synthetic turf pitch provides top playing surface for football players and youth sporting development.
The Chiwembe Technical and Development Centre in Malawi, Africa now has one of the finest synthetic turf playing surfaces, certified to FIFA level play.
The new pitch was supplied by Act Global as part of a FIFA Goal Project, which enables member associations to fulfill developments to advance football in their countries. FIFA awarded Malawi the grant based on their event management performance, financial prudence and popularity of football. Football is the leading sport in this region, but the country has a shortage of quality playing surfaces.
Act Global was selected because of their high-quality artificial turf and commitment to FIFA international performance standards. Act had previously fulfilled a comparable FIFA Goal project at Kamuzu Stadium, also in Blantyre, Malawi.
The field was built in cooperation by local contractors Real Civil Engineers and Act Global’s own contractors. The company has a skilled installation crew in Africa to offer the best in local technical ability, who work alongside Act’s European installers to achieve top performance standards. The pitch features a natural green blend of spined monofilament fibers from Bonar Yarns.
The pitch is part of a larger renovation to the Chiwembe Technical and Development Centre, to include an office block, hostels, a kitchen and cafeteria. This will be used as a training base for the development of Malawi football clubs and players in Malawi, with a special focus on youth development. The FIFA Recommended Mark indicates one of the top playing surfaces in the world, and Chiwembe Technical Center is now capable of hosting Super League and Cup games.
“We are honored to help expand the reach of sports in Malawi, and promote the development of football and youth sporting talent,” said Chris Clapham, managing director and co-owner of Act Global.
This was Act Global’s sixth completed FIFA Goal installation in Africa, following projects in Sierra Leone, Kenya, Malawi and two in Zimbabwe. Four more African Goal Projects are in progress in Congo, Burundi, Tanzania and Guinea.
About Act Global
Act Global is a world leader in synthetic turf and artificial grass manufacturing. The company’s Xtreme Turf and Xtreme Lawn products replicate natural grass for use in international stadiums, indoor sport centers, synthetic lawns and other synthetic grass uses. Its LiteEarth and AvTurf products add capabilities for landfills and airport applications. Act Global has manufacturing locations in USA, Europe and Asia and installations in over 70 countries. Act Global is notable for currently being the first company in the world that is a FIFA Preferred Producer for Football Turf, Synthetic Turf Council Certified Manufacturer, World Rugby Preferred Turf Producer, and holds an ISO 9001 certification. For more information visit http://www.ActGlobal.com.
Shelby Becker is a creative content creator and marketing specialist at Act Global. She’s an animal rights activist, avid concert-goer, and scary movie enthusiast. Follow her on LinkedIn .
For more information, contact marketing at sbecker@actglobal.com
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by Shelby Becker
Over the course of two years, 200,000 square metres (2.1 million square feet) of Xtreme Turf will be installed throughout Hungary, in one of the country’s largest synthetic turf projects.
Austin, Texas – As part of a large national project in Hungary, Act Global will supply 200,000 square meters of artificial turf to football clubs throughout the country.
Nine full-size fields and seven mid-size pitches have been built in major cities throughout Hungary, including Budapest, Szeged, Kisvarda, Edeleny and Kecskemet. The company has effectively completed phase one of the project, with 100,000 square meters successfully delivered and installed on schedule and to the clients’ satisfaction. The pitches feature the highest quality 3G synthetic turf produced at Act Global’s manufacturing plant in Aalten, Netherlands.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this large project, to bring this high quality artificial turf to players and venues throughout Hungary,” said Robert Zlotnicki, regional manager Act Global. “We have received fantastic feedback regarding the product and installation, and are excited to continue with the second phase of this development.”
The project was developed as part of the Hungarian Football Federation Programme (MLSZ) to promote football and improve training facilities for local clubs and communities. The type of venues and projects vary, but are often municipal training facilities on a high level of play.
Artificial turf has been widely used throughout Eastern Europe, but with an increasing attention on quality. As a FIFA Preferred Producer for Football Turf, Act Global is actively working to inform the market on FIFA Quality turf systems, and the importance of safety, longevity and performance in a playing surface.
Further, in countries such as Hungary which experience cold winter conditions, preparing and maintaining natural turf can be particularly challenging. January is the coldest month in the capital city Budapest, with fairly frequent snowfall and average temperatures around -4°C (24.8 °F). After cold winter months, frost can leave natural surfaces uneven, prompting heavy maintenance and re-leveling. Synthetic turf playing fields remain uniform and consistent, without worry of weather damage.
“With a higher quality surface, field owners will see improved player performance and comfort, all-weather durability, and a longer lasting field,” said Zlotnicki. “This translates into a better overall buying experience and greater return on investment for the facility.”
ABOUT ACT GLOBAL
Act Global is a world leader in synthetic turf and artificial grass manufacturing. The company’s artificial Xtreme Turf and Xtreme Lawn products replicate natural grass for use in international stadiums, indoor sport centers, synthetic lawns and other synthetic grass uses. Its LiteEarth and AvTurf products add capabilities for landfills and airport applications. Act Global has four manufacturing locations in USA, Europe and Asia and installations in over 70 countries. Act Global is notable for currently being the first company in the world that is a FIFA Preferred Producer for Football Turf, Synthetic Turf Council Certified Manufacturer, IRB Preferred Producer, and holds an ISO 9001 certification. Its products have undergone hundreds of independent laboratory tests for quality, durability and performance.
Shelby Becker is a creative content creator and marketing specialist at Act Global. She’s an animal rights activist, avid concert-goer, and scary movie enthusiast. Follow her on LinkedIn .
For more information, contact marketing at sbecker@actglobal.com
