The British Medical Team has moved forward in leaps and bounds from its infancy on the muddyfields of Northowram, Halifax in the winter of 2005. Any doctors who presented themselves to the trials were selected for the team regardless of fitness and footballing ability – such was our enthusiasm to enter the international scene!  Whereas our common interests in football and the delivery of the very best healthcare did win us friends and popularity amongst the participating nations of the Health and Medicine in Sports conference, our success on the football fields in Mainz Germany were sadly lacking.

Our team has since evolved (we employed a full time coach ex West Ham player Dave Lewelyn) so has our resolve to get ourselves and our patients healthier, through the participation incompetitive sports.  Following the 3rd place we achieved in Australia and again in Lithuania, we did finally win the title in South Korea 2009.

The publicity we have generated with this success, in all media outlets has reinforced the message of achieving fitness and health by leading from the front and by example. This is at the heart of ourorganisation; that we as doctors are not just there to advise but actually act upon it and take things to the next level. If your doctor can do it, so can you! Further, we have participated in a number of initiatives to raise awareness of health issues in the general public focusing primarily on men. The Shaype Up programme in Halifax is just one example of this.

During 2011 the organisation achieved charitable status with the mission of improving the health ofpatients by encouraging participation in sports and active lifestyles. Our continued commitment tocharitable causes saw us raise monies for a variety of charities including Macmillan relief, Children’shospital in Austria, local hospices and children’s education and football training in Calcutta India. Our current focus is on Children with Diabetes and we will raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

This year we are delighted to host the XV11 Tournament and Congress in Manchester.