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Brentford FC, head coach, Thomas Frank gets a heart rate monitor fitted in ‘The Pressure’. Image by Studio Something
New film series puts Brentford FC’s community in the spotlight Chamber member Brentford FC has launched a new series of short films, sharing stories of the club’s community. The Thousands of Stories series is turning the spotlight on the people that make up the club from staff and fans to the wider community. The films show how each person’s story is special and important to shaping the club. The series kicked off with The Pressure which features Brentford Head Coach Thomas Frank and the issue of cardiac health. It looks at the stress of being a Premier League manager as he wears a heart rate monitor throughout the day of the club’s 2022/23 home fixture against West Ham.
“I was interested to see how my heart reacted during a match. Every Head Coach knows that Premier League football is stressful and it’s amazing to see what happened to my heart rate during match events. 14
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The film explores the importance of cardiac health and the motivations behind the club’s Heart of West London initiative - a longterm partnership and commitment bringing together key players in the cardiac health world to make a difference. Viewers discover how the Head Coach’s heart fluctuates in reaction to pivotal elements during the football match, including substitutions and VAR decisions. Thomas Frank said: “I was interested to see how my heart reacted during a match. Every Head Coach knows that Premier League football is stressful and it’s amazing to see what happened to my heart rate during match events.
Other films in the Thousands of Stories series are: • The Team - which looks at the impact of the Brentford Community Sports Trust’s women’s recreational football sessions and the opportunity it gives to women who want to play football at a non-professional level. • The Chance - the story of Brentford staff member, Mariia Manirko, who moved to the UK from Ukraine after Russia’s invasion. • The Voice - follows the story of Peter Gilham, Brentford’s club announcer, also known as Mr Brentford. The four films were produced by creative agency, Studio Something. Thousands of Stories is expected to be an ongoing series and the club is encouraging Bees fans to share their stories. Brentford Chief Executive Jon Varney said: “Here at Brentford, everyone’s story is important, from our fans to our matchday staff to those involved in our community projects.
“I am proud to be part of the heart health campaigns we run here at Brentford. Knowing what happened to Robert Rowan and Christian Eriksen makes it something that really matters to me.” He added: “Cardiac health is important for everyone and it’s important we do what we can to lead a healthy lifestyle and look after ourselves.”
‘We’re really proud to see the launch of Thousands of Stories. It’s the start of a series that allows us to share what it means to be a part of Brentford. “And the series doesn’t stop here, we want to hear the stories of our fans too who help make this club so special.” More information about Thousands of Stories can be found on Brentford FC’s website – brentfordfc.com
