Known as The Foundry, it is based in Beckton and will support more than 60,000 people each year through 35 dedicated programmes spanning education, employment, health, and social inclusion.
Speaking at the opening on Tuesday, October 14, West Ham United vice-chair, Baroness Karren Brady, said: “The Foundry represents exactly what we are – a community.
Baroness Karren Brady and West Ham Foundation chief executive Joseph Lyons cut the ribbon at The Foundry’s grand opening(Image: West Ham United)
“A community that helps one another, supports one another, and inspires one another.
“And what happens here really is just the tip of the iceberg – the impact of our community outreach work can be felt right across the capital and beyond – ensuring 60,000 individuals will benefit from our support each year.”
The club said the facility is expected to generate £75 million in social value within its first five years.
Guests at the launch included MPs, community partners, football figures, and club ambassadors.
West Ham United Foundation chief executive Joseph Lyons said the facility will help deliver on the club’s long-standing commitment to east London.
Mr Lyons said: “We’re proud to officially open The Foundry, our new community hub that brings to life our mission: to create lasting opportunities for all, grounded in trust, purpose, and community.
“This space is more than a building; it is a catalyst for real and meaningful change, where lives across east London and beyond can be empowered and transformed.
“Looking ahead, our ambition is clear: to grow further, broaden our reach, and deepen our impact, ensuring The Foundry becomes a beacon of opportunity for generations to come.”
Core partners in the project include the Football Foundation, City Bridge Foundation, Trust for London, and Charity Bank.
The Foundry will host up to 4,000 participants each week and features an enterprise zone, health and wellbeing facilities, an outdoor gym, and a community kitchen and café.
West Ham United head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, said: “I recently joined the club and being invited to this event makes me really proud.
“We always have time for this kind of things and I’m really proud, I’m really proud and I’m honoured to be part of a club with these values to try to help the community.
“It’s one of the things that I really believe that we should be all together, no matter where you come from.”
The Foundry’s name pays tribute to West Ham’s origins as Thames Ironworks FC, founded in 1895 by workers at the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company.
Several programmes were showcased at the opening, including Healthier Happier Me, a collaboration with the NHS to improve children’s nutrition and physical activity; football and education programmes developed in partnership with the Premier League and the Professional Footballers Association; and the Any Old Irons initiative for elderly supporters.
Baroness Brady also announced the launch of the West Ham United Night Shelter, which will offer a hot meal and a safe place to sleep every Saturday night, extending to nightly offering for a week during the Christmas period.
