Meet the team united by a love of football and an understanding of life with a mental health condition
Reporter Mike Griffiths speaks to the 'magical' community football team who are 'like a family'
Meet the team united by a love football and an understanding of life with a mental health condition.
Newport County Community football team welcomes people with mental health issues or autism and it's going from strength to strength - fostering a safe and encouraging environment to build confidence and friendships.
Luke Degilbert, who has autism, is so proud of his team that he got in touch to invite ITV News along for a kick-about.
He said: "I love playing football and join the sessions on a Tuesday and Thursday. They're both really good and we do warm ups.
ITV Wales Reporter Mike Griffiths asks: "What difference does it make to you being part of this team?"
"It helps my mental health and my confidence", says Luke.
"And it improves my football and it makes me happy it does."
Over five years, Emily made the jump from player to coach. It's led to a paid job working for the organisation.
"A comfort for me when I started was knowing most people had been in my situation," she said.
"It doesn't matter whether you're a girl, boy, whatever, you got autism, schizophrenia or bipolar, it doesn't matter. Once you come on the pitch in here we're all one and we all work together.
It's so satisfying for Emily to see the difference you can make in her role, she says. "Seeing some of the guys that have come along are much better at football. We're about making friends coming here in a safe environment."
The players in this team don't just come every week for the football - they make new friends, and enjoy the fun of the competition.
As one new team member said: "We're like a big one family, it's great, it's magical."