Watch: Van Dijk's surprise for LFC Foundation programme participant
A Liverpool fan was given an unusual surprise earlier this week when a routine call about his participation in an LFC Foundation programme ended in a chat with one of the Reds' first-team stars.
Ben Price is a member of one of LFC Foundation’s targeted employability schemes, which seeks to help vulnerable and homeless young people get back on their feet. The programme aims to promote physical and mental well-being and provide important life skills – and it has certainly made a profound and positive impact upon the 23-year-old.
Since enrolling on the course, Ben has turned his life around and is hoping to realise his lifelong passion of becoming a barber and eventually open up his own shop.
The Wirral-born Red even cut the hair of a number of participants on the last youth homelessness programme – and has volunteered to help with the next street soccer programme to mentor those taking part.
He is expecting a first child with his girlfriend, though he is currently self-isolating in sheltered accommodation. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, Ben has been benefiting from the LFC Connect initiative, which aims to tackle social isolation and sees LFC staff and volunteers calling members of LFC Foundation and Red Neighbours programmes for a weekly friendly chat during the ongoing crisis.
Highly regarded by everyone he worked with on the programme, Ben was identified by the LFC Foundation team as someone whose positive attitude, enthusiasm and story was something that deserved to be told.
So, when he dialled into a video call with LFCTV presenter Peter McDowall, he was given something of a surprise as Virgil van Dijk decided to join the conversation, too.
The centre-back chatted to Ben about his journey, his hopes and dreams and about forthcoming fatherhood.
You can see the conversation between the pair in our free video below...