Last week marked a major milestone for the **West Ham United Foundation** as it prepares to open its doors to **The Foundry**, a brand-new, state-of-the-art community hub set to transform lives across east London.
Workforce re-introduced, Club heads of departments visited, and trustees returned for a milestone moment as the keys to the site were delivered from Borras Construction and Adams & Sutherland Architects to **WHUF CEO, Joseph Lyons**.
Lyons said: “This has been a landmark week for the Foundation. Receiving the keys to The Foundry marks not just a handover of a building, but the beginning of a new chapter for our staff, our supporters and the wider community.
“Welcoming our teams back on site, showing Club colleagues around and introducing new trustees like Guvna B has created a real sense of momentum. There is excitement, pride and a shared belief in the impact The Foundry will have. The space has been built for the community and now we get to bring it to life.”
During this exciting chapter, the Foundation has welcomed a new trustee, local award-winning rapper and changemaker Isaac Borquaye, better known as **Guvna B**.
For the Custom House native, stepping into a trustee role isn’t just an appointment, it’s personal.
“I’m a local boy,” he said. “I've been making music for about 15 years now, creating art about social issues, trying to build a platform for people from underprivileged backgrounds and you can only do so much on your own.”
With a long-standing connection to the Club, including media work and advocacy through his music, Guvna B sees The Foundry as a natural extension of both his purpose and passion.
He continued: “The Foundation has such an array of projects that help people from my community, and I wanted to help amplify that, give back and contribute to the good work that everybody's doing. This felt like a natural bridge - sport and charitable organisations have a powerful way of connecting with people and providing them with better futures.
“The Foundry’s going to be massive for the community. Growing up a stone’s throw away at a time when they were closing all the youth clubs, you’re not just going to have people from Beckton coming here, the invite’s going to reverberate around the community. It’ll give people a place to come, to learn, grow and be inspired.”
Named in tribute to West Ham’s origins of Thames Ironworks FC, The Foundry will become the new home of the Foundation, with the multi-million-pound site poised to deliver over 35 programmes a year across education, employment, football development, health, inclusion and entrepreneurship.
With a welcoming social kitchen, a new enterprise zone, outdoor gym and safe modern spaces, its impact is designed to reach more than 50,000 people annually.
**Borras Construction Site Manager, Colin Earl**, stated: “It’s great to see what the building’s going to be used for and how it will benefit the community, especially young people. We don’t normally get the chance to see buildings in use, so it's brilliant to have West Ham staff coming in and showing their appreciation for the building we’ve created.”
As the doors begin to open and the finishing touches are made, CEO Joseph Lyons reflected on what this moment means not just for the Foundation, but for the wider West Ham family and the community it serves.
He added: “Even just being back here a week, introducing our staff and bringing in partners, there’s a real buzz. [**Beyond Food**](https://www.whufc.com/news/fullkrug-coufal-cook-feast-beyond-food-foundation) have hit the ground running, impressing our team with the menu in the E6 Kitchen, and the final touches are being made around the rest of the site too.
“West Ham United is a family Club, and The Foundry talks to that. We’ve created a place where opportunity begins - wherever you might be on your journey. Over the next fortnight we’re inviting small groups to The Foundry and we’re excited to see their reaction too. We’re all incredibly excited to welcome people locally and further afield, so we can share our pride and provide an outstanding experience and create a lasting impression, rooted in the Club’s legacy.”