Getting fit, staying safe
The Mayor of London launched a programme using sport to boost social integration and health of Londoners at a Peckham school.
Sadiq Khan has invested £8.8million in Sport Unites, a three-year sports programme which will include funding projects that use sport to bring together people from different backgrounds and strengthen local communities.
He announced the London Together Fund at the Harris Academy in Peckham. There will be grants of between £25,000 and £150,000 for sports projects that increase trust between people in communities, reduce isolation and loneliness, support people into work and training, and increase opportunities for people from all backgrounds.
He saw at Harris Academy how sport is being used to help change lives. The Mayor met young women who are being helped to stay safe on social media, and talked to them about how netball can help them take control of their virtual lives. It is one of the first sports programmes to address social media use.
The Mayor said: “I am passionate about grassroots sport and we must harness its unique power to bring people together and to break down barriers.
“Sport can help strengthen social ties and has a long history of tackling discrimination and promoting equality, respect and justice.”
Sport Unites will provide investment for initiatives that use sport to improve social integration, reduce prejudice between communities, and ensure isolated Londoners feel better connected and supported.