Cllr Aaron Roy

My name is Aaron Roy, and I serve as Councillor for Hart Ward in Hartlepool, as well as the founder of Mariners United Sporting Club CIC—a community-rooted social enterprise that uses sport to drive youth empowerment, cultural inclusion, and grassroots cohesion. I am also a registered nurse and Public Governor at North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust. My journey blends healthcare, public leadership, and grassroots innovation, fuelled by a deep belief in equity, access, and the power of connection.

I moved to the UK from Kerala, India, a decade ago, and settled in Hartlepool in 2020—just before the COVID-19 pandemic. Working on the NHS frontlines during the crisis gave me a clear view of both the vulnerabilities and strength within our communities. But I also saw cultural disconnects, youth disengagement, and gaps in representation—especially among ethnic minorities. These experiences shaped my decision to step forward into public life, and in 2024 I became Hartlepool’s first-ever Non-White BAME councillor. That election wasn’t just personal—it was a signal of progress and possibility for the wider community.

That same year, I founded Mariners United as a BAME football club, with the specific aim of integrating the fragmented Indian community—particularly students and young people—through sport. Many were facing isolation, academic pressures, and a lack of inclusive social spaces. Football became our common language—a way to break down barriers, reconnect young people to their cultural identity, and provide a positive, supportive environment. What started as a small initiative quickly grew into something far more impactful. In 2025, I officially registered Mariners United Sporting Club CIC, under the belief that sport can be a tool for cohesion, opportunity, and cultural pride.

Through Mariners United, we now run programmes across football, Kabaddi, and other community sports—all framed by our guiding principle: Play, Unite, Thrive. Kabaddi, a physically intense and deeply cultural South Asian sport, has become a powerful symbol of inclusion. It’s accessible, team-driven, and celebrates heritage while promoting strength and resilience—perfect for bringing together youth across different cultures and backgrounds.

One of my proudest achievements has been delivering the Tri-Nations Kabaddi Cup in July 2025—the UK’s first-ever community-led Kabaddi championship featuring national teams from England, Scotland, and Wales. Held in Hartlepool, the tournament became a living expression of unity through sport. People of all backgrounds—locals, newcomers, schoolchildren, and elders—stood shoulder-to-shoulder, cheering, learning, and celebrating something new together.

We built on that momentum with the first-ever National Beach Kabaddi Championship at Seaton Carew. This time, we activated a public coastal space as a cultural arena, where passersby became spectators and young people became stars. For many, it was their first time seeing Kabaddi—let alone participating—and it left a lasting sense of pride and curiosity across the community.

Our work goes far beyond tournaments. We remove hidden barriers to participation by offering free safeguarding, first aid, and basic life support (BLS) training, as well as DBS checks and mentoring support for volunteers. Many of the young people we work with are at risk of exclusion or struggling to find direction—and through sport, we’ve helped them reconnect with education, develop leadership skills, and build strong social bonds.

As someone who brings both lived experience and frontline professional insight, I lead with empathy, action, and inclusivity. I’ve faced resistance—as a person of colour in politics, as an innovator in overlooked sports, and as a first-time founder—but each challenge has deepened my conviction. I don’t just advocate for representation; I build the structures and platforms that make it sustainable and transformative.

What I bring to Hartlepool and the Northeast is more than a new sport—it’s a new game plan: one where diversity is celebrated, public spaces are reimagined, and communities come together not in silos, but in synergy.

Being nominated for the ABC Award is a great honour. It affirms a model of leadership that centres people, culture, and shared purpose. But more importantly, it highlights those small, intentional acts like starting a sports club can spark wider movements of unity, pride, and hope. That’s the legacy I aim to build.