On Wednesday, December 6, Arsenal and England player and Team New Balance athlete Bukayo Saka made a return to his old neighborhood to commemorate the launch of the brand’s newest location in Westfield, White City.
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Bukayo grew up a short distance from the new store and used to regularly visit the Westfield retail area. Bukayo invited pupils from his former elementary and secondary schools to come see him at the New Balance store as a way to honor his formative years. The children were selected for the invitation-only event based on their behavior, athletic, and academic accomplishments. This provides a tremendous motivation for students to focus on their studies and receive the highest reward for their hard work.
Instagram’s “Elevate” program, which connects with black athletes to support and elevate their voices online and help them connect with their own stories, includes the event in collaboration with Meta.
“I used to go to Westfield a lot when I was young, so it’s beautiful for me to see a store in there with my face at the front of it now,” Bukayo stated in response to a question concerning the occasion. I wanted to go and do something to commemorate the opening that would benefit the neighborhood and engage children growing up nearby, possibly inspiring them to have aspirations as mine.
The event also offers a chance to spread the word about the UK-based charity Street Soccer Foundation, a sport-for-change organization that uses football as a catalyst to enhance the lives of homeless and underprivileged children nationwide. More than 100 pairs of Bukayo’s limited-edition Furon v7 Seven Edition football boots, which were released in September, were donated to the cause by the group’s loyal supporters.
A small quantity of the Own Now sneakers will be available for purchase at the New Balance Westfield White City shop as a memento of the occasion. Only a small number of merchants carry the hugely popular boots, and they are only available while supplies last.