Active Spaces Fund
Projects
What we do
Our Active Spaces funds projects in London
This funding improves spaces and facilities and helps the least active children, young people and underserved groups and communities to lead active and healthy lives. Read some recent case studies below.
Find out about the Actives Spaces fund
SkyWay
Awarded £48,000
SkyWay supports young people and their communities in London by offering opportunities to build their confidence and skills. A grant from the London Marathon Foundation funded 25 young people to be trained as sports coaches, gaining a qualification and valuable experience along the way. These coaches went on to deliver their own sessions, acting as positive role models in their community and enabling more than 200 young people to be physically active.
SkyWay works in Hackney with communities:
- that are among the 20% most deprived in England
- where 37.7% of young people live in families that depend on benefits
- where young people are 40% less likely to access higher education than the national average
- where 41% of 11-year-olds are obese
What we heard
Conor, Lead Youth Worker
“One of the most anticipated activities for young people are overnight residentials during the summer which are a real source of joy and curiosity.”
What we heard
Marcia, 12
“The residential was amazing! I'd never been in the real countryside before so was a bit scared it was going to be dark with lots of creepy crawlies. Instead, I got to do lots of new things with my friends. Some were a bit scary but I'm proud to have done them.”
Abbey Community Centre, Kilburn
Awarded £19,000
Abbey Community Centre provides a wide choice of sports and exercise activities to people living in Kilburn for free or at minimal cost. Funding helped facilitate these activities, including table tennis, gentle dance, lower-intensity Zumba, seated exercise, yoga or seated yoga, circuit fitness training, gardening, Tai Chi and walking.
Impact on participants:
- 74.5% agreed that being involved encouraged them to be physically active
- 71.7% reported they improved their physical health
- 90.6% agreed the activities help them connect with other people locally
- 88.7% reported they made new friends
- 70.8% reported feeling protected from loneliness
Safe Haven Basketball Club
Safe Haven Basketball is a London-based club for young people with learning disabilities or special educational needs. Founded in 2019, the club has grown significantly and has venues in Westminster, Hackney, Southwark and Camden.
Safe Haven’s participants were often excluded from mainstream sport and now they have a club where they can feel a real sense of belonging and enjoyment.
Quote
A parent of one of the participants said:
“These kids with disabilities, they want to play. You can see the passion. You can see the group that we have here, they have a great bond. My son looks forward to coming here every Wednesday!”
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