Peter Smith, aged 80 and from Anfield, found himself in a situation many people of his age can relate to.  

In his formative years, Peter was a public house manager but upon his retirement, he found himself in a rut, a lonely spot, and lacking the ‘buzz’ and the ‘spark’ that, fast forward to the present day, he is synonymous for at Everton in the Community’s (EitC) Stand Together sessions.   

Peter joined the programme seven years ago thanks to a friend who referred him after noticing he had become socially isolated. Living alone and losing the interaction and enjoyment he used to get from work, Peter became a far cry from the ‘people person’ he was renowned for in the years before.   

Joining Stand Together was a turning point for him and Peter had no trouble immersing himself in the group as a lifelong Blue. He quickly rediscovered his love for meeting new people, listening to the stories of his fellow participants and diving into the jam-packed itinerary of the programme which ensures every session is more unique than the last.   

Peter was one of the first participants in the programme and has seen it develop vastly. “When I first started going to the sessions, there were only 12 of us but over the years I’ve met so many people who I’ve become close friends with,” says Peter. “Just recently, we’ve had another 10 people join!”  

Supported by the Premier League and the Professional Footballer's Association Community Fund, Stand Together is an opportunity for anyone over 65 who is experiencing social isolation to improve their quality of life. Whether that's by making new friends, having fun or enjoying a variety of activities together, which is where Peter comes into his own. 

“I love any activity which makes me smile. We’ve had a few comedy improv sessions that have been absolutely fantastic. The stuff we were doing was completely daft but we all couldn’t stop laughing, it was great.  

“We’ve also had a few intergenerational sessions where we mix with Everton’s parents' programme and their young children. Seeing the toddlers enjoying music and dancing absolutely makes my day.   

“I’ve been in a lot of pain recently with my legs which affects my mobility, and I can’t dance as much as I’d like to anymore, but I actually forgot about the pain for a while during that session because I was having such a good time dancing and singing along to the music.  

“It’s not just about the sessions, I’ve enjoyed all sorts of support workshops and events the programme has put on over the years. Visiting Southport is one of my favourite memories, and the team always provide us with a lovely hot meal on our day trips.”   

It’s such happy moments like this which reflect the influence Stand Together can have on its participants’ physical and mental health. Up until a year ago, Peter boasts that he regularly hit up to 20,000 steps a day, made possible thanks to the programme helping to keep him active and mobile.  

Peter makes his mental health – and as a result – his attendance at Stand Together a priority in his life now. The pandemic made him realise that staying indoors for too long can affect him mentally and it also emphasised the importance of social interaction.   

“Even though I do suffer with arthritis now, I can’t miss Tuesday’s session, it was awful during the pandemic when I couldn’t go. I just hope that we can eventually go back to two sessions a week as we did before Covid.” 

Peter can also boast having met Everton’s manager Sean Dyche last season after the Blues Boss experienced EitC's award-winning provision for the first time. As a proud Evertonian with a love for connecting and finding out more about people, Peter fell into his element and his questions to the Gaffer were equally as interesting as the answers Sean batted back.  

One thing for sure is that there’s no question that Peter has rediscovered himself thanks to Stand Together. “This programme has been so important for me – I found myself stuck in a rut after I retired, and this instantly gave me a buzz again. I look forward to coming every week and only wish I found out about it sooner, it’s brilliant and we really are The People’s Club.”  

To find out more about the programme or to register an interest in taking part, click here.