Alex Mitchell, Communications Officer, London Sport
At London Sport, we aim to help all Londoners live longer, healthier, and happier lives by being active. A big part of that is connecting organisations, people and communities who can help create more opportunities for Londoners to take part.
Earlier this year, during Safeguarding in Sport Week, London Sport brought together organisations from across the sector. There, Gary Lambert-Snaith, CEO of Waltham Forest Community Hub, met Kirsty McMahon, Regional Project Lead for Moves Different at England Boxing.
That introduction helped lead to the Squad Girls Football Camp, a free summer programme for girls aged 11 to 16 in Waltham Forest, bringing together football, boxing and other activities. Sessions were delivered by qualified and experienced coaches, with girls of all abilities welcomed.
I visited one of the sessions in August. On a bright summer day, the energy around the camp was immediately clear. Girls were playing football, learning boxing skills, training together and trying different activities, with plenty of laughter and encouragement throughout.
Creating environments where people feel welcome and able to be active is important, particularly for girls and young women, who can face additional barriers to taking part in sport and physical activity. This is also reflected in our Space for Girls work, which focuses on creating safe and welcoming spaces where women and girls can be active. Giving girls the opportunity to try different sports in a supportive environment can help build confidence, develop skills and, importantly, make being active enjoyable.
We have pulled together a short video from the camp, showing the activities taking place and hearing directly from some of the girls involved, as well as Gary and Kirsty.
Gary and Kirsty also shared their thoughts on the thinking behind the camp, the opportunities it created for the girls taking part and what bringing the two organisations together made possible.
Gary said:
“Sport has the unique ability to bring people together, break down barriers and create a real sense of belonging. Through collaboration, this project was set up to create an inclusive and fun environment for young girls and potentially introduce football and/or boxing as opportunities that in some cases they may not have experienced before.”
Kirsty added:
“Introducing young people to new sports can open doors to opportunities and positive pathways they may not otherwise have encountered. Our Moves Different x WFC Hub session was a great example of this in action, and it wouldn’t have happened without Gary and I first meeting through a London Sport event and making that initial connection. It’s a great reminder of the impact that bringing people and organisations together can have.”
For me, it is a good example of why connecting people remains such an important part of London Sport’s work. You never quite know where an introduction might lead. In this case, it helped create a new opportunity for girls in Waltham Forest to get active, try something different and enjoy sport.
- Watch our Safeguarding in Sport Week video.
- Find out more about our work on Space for Girls
- Learn about how the Sport Welfare team at London Sport can support you
