Funding approved for new Foundation Manager

Sports Leaders UK is delighted to announce a recent award of £97,280 from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to support the new role of a Sports Leaders UK Foundation Manager in the West Midlands. The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is one of the largest independent grant-making foundations in the UK, which funds the charitable activities of organisations that have the ideas and ability to achieve change for the better. The funding will support Sports Leaders UK in its aim to increase its work with disadvantaged and disengaged communities and will enable the Sports Leaders UK Foundation to continue to expand and improve its reach within communities across the UK. Sports Leaders UK is funded primarily by the sales of its educational resources. Since the Sports Leaders UK Foundation was established in April 2009 it has actively extended the reach of its awards and qualifications to communities and individuals with the greatest need. The Foundation invests directly in community delivery of sports leadership, the employment of special project workers and the training of sports leadership tutors to access young people it would not otherwise reach through its mainstream work. Commercial Development Director at Sports Leaders UK, Midge Blake said: “The success of this application is a huge boost to Sports Leaders UK and its Foundation, and will go a long way in helping the Charity to secure a better future for young people in areas of greatest need.” The impact that sports leadership awards and qualifications have on young people’s lives is echoed by the hundreds of organisations that endorse and support the work that Sports Leaders UK does. SkillsActive is one of the many organisations to work in partnership with Sports Leaders UK, and will be supporting the development and delivery of the Charity’s 11 regional conferences in November. Development Manager at SkillsActive, Emma Forward said: “SkillsActive is delighted to be working in partnership with Sports Leaders UK to promote pathways for young people into further training and employment.” Advisor for PE and Dance at Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, Sue Trotman said: “Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council welcomes Sports Leaders UK’s support in the West Midlands. Many local areas are below the national deprivation indicators and the leadership qualifications give young people the confidence and self-esteem they need to improve their physical health and future prospects.” Note to editors: Sports Leaders UK is a charity delivering sports leadership awards and qualifications to more than 200,000 people a year, through 4,000 schools, colleges, local authorities, prisons and young offender units. It acts as an Awarding Body providing nationally recognised qualifications, and has a Foundation to deliver free or subsidised courses in areas of greatest need.