Arsenal star Bukayo Saka paid a special visit to his childhood neighborhood on Wednesday, December 6th, to celebrate the opening of the newest New Balance store in Westfield, White City.

Having grown up just a short distance away from the store, Bukayo has fond memories of visiting the Westfield shopping centre. To commemorate his early years, he invited children from his former primary and secondary schools to meet him at the New Balance store.

When asked about the event, Bukayo expressed his joy, saying, “I used to frequent Westfield a lot when I was young, so it’s truly gratifying for me to see a store with my image at the forefront. I wаnted to do something to celebrate the opening that would hold meaning for the local community and involve kids growing up in a similar area to inspire them to dream big as well.”

The event also served as an opportunity to raise awareness for the UK-based charity, Street Soccer Foundation, which utilizes football as a catalyst to improve the lives of vulnerable and homeless young people throughout the country. Bukayo has been a long-time supporter of the charity and recently donated over 100 pairs of his limited-edition Furon v7 Seven Edition football boots, which were launched in September.