A Bridgend men’s healthy lifestyle programme, accredited by the Football Association and known as MAN v FAT, has won multiple awards at the national MAN v FAT Awards for its success on the football pitch, weight loss achievements, and charity work.
One team, KFC Scoffenheim, was named Team of the Year and hailed as “the pride of South Wales.” Assistant coach Jean-Luc Howe accepted the award, saying the team embraced the programme’s ethos from the start. He said, “The pitch is your reward, the scales show what really matters. We won both team weight loss and football titles and had two players reach major weight loss milestones. This has been life-changing for me, but it wouldn’t be possible without the whole team.”
Bridgend player Dave Hughes was honored as Community Hero for 2025. He emphasized the club’s collective efforts in supporting local causes. “We back charities close to us, like Cerebral Palsy Cymru, which helps children and families with therapy. One family in our club has a daughter who benefits from their work. We also did a Brave the Shave fundraiser for Velindre Cancer Centre to support a club member recently diagnosed. We raised over 100 kilos of food for local food banks and collected Christmas selection boxes and games for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity.”
MAN v FAT is a weight loss programme designed for men with a BMI over 27.5. It combines weekly six-a-side football matches with lifestyle coaching. Players are weighed before games, and teams earn bonus goals based on their weight loss. Both weight loss and match results affect league rankings.
More than 8,500 men participate in over 150 MAN v FAT clubs across the UK. The programme focuses on sustainable weight loss by blending football with achievable goals. To date, MAN v FAT players have lost over 800,000 pounds collectively.
Besides football, participants receive support including healthy recipes, fitness advice, and access to mental health resources via MAN v FAT’s partner JAAQ.
The Bridgend club meets every Friday at Archbishop McGrath RC School in Brackla.
In 2025, MAN v FAT will expand with 15 new rugby-based weight loss clubs across the UK. These clubs will follow the same principles, offering men a chance to lose weight through rugby, health, and wellbeing sessions.
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