Every Monday evening, Chris Painter leaves his home in Cambridgeshire to make the 60-mile trip to north London for a game of football with his friends.
But this isn't an ordinary game of football.
It's a football session called Just Proud, which is part of Proud Lilywhites - Tottenham Hotspur's LGBTQ+ Supporters' Association.
The sessions, delivered by the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, provide a safe space for participants to exercise and build friendships, and have become so important to Chris that he makes a three-hour round trip every week to attend.
This weekend we are proudly supporting the Rainbow Laces campaign at our @premierleague match against Fulham 🏳️🌈
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 29, 2024
Find out how we are supporting our LGBTQI+ community and @SpursLGBT with weekly football sessions delivered by @SpursFoundation 🙌 pic.twitter.com/TGTtfGZzkq
"The fact that Spurs put this on for us shows that we are welcome, it shows that they care," Chris says. "It's a massive socialisation opportunity for myself and others in my community to get out and play.
"It doesn't matter who you are, we are just a group of friends coming together to play football on a Monday night. It's just nice to be valued."
Another Just Proud participant is primary school teacher Cat, who had never played football until starting with the group.
The sessions have had such on impact on her that she has been inspired to start a girls' team at her school.
"When I first came along I thought I would just be on the sidelines, but I was playing from the start," she says. "The coaches were really good. It's a great form of exercise, a great form of bonding.
"I feel so privileged to be a part of the group. The fact the Club puts so much time and effort into our community really means a lot. It's great that I can help kids in my school also have that opportunity."
The Just Proud football sessions have been running for the last 12 months and are supported by the Premier League and Professional Footballers' Association Community Fund, which allows clubs to deliver projects that tackle inequality and respond to local need.
Tottenham Hotspur are showcasing the work of their Just Proud football sessions, as well as the Proud Lilywhites, as part of the celebration of LGBTQ+ inclusion at all Premier League fixtures between 29 November and 5 December.
The two match rounds in this period align with Stonewall's Rainbow Laces campaign, which has played an important role in driving conversations around LGBTQ+ inclusion in sport since 2013.
