On arrival, the group were greeted by several Chelsea FC and Chelsea FC Foundation staff members, and had to chance to see some of the facilities at the Cobham training ground.

A small keynote speech was then delivered by Foundation head of community Shaun Gore and senior football development officer Steve Shipp, which gave the mayors an insight into the broad-range of activities delivered by the Foundation in Surrey and further afield.

Before proceeding to enjoy some lunch and continuing conversations around the importance of using football as a driver of positive change, another short tour was concluded with an introduction from former Chelsea striker Tore Andre Flo.

‘Sometimes, it blows me away to think about where this all started and the impact which we are having today, which is thanks to people like our local councillors who have been so important in our growth,’ said Gore.

‘It means the world to us, to make a really positive difference in communities using the power of football.’

We look forwards to welcoming the mayors back to Cobham next year, as we continue these vital relationships.