The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, has this morning announced a £1.4m cash injection for community sport across the capital.
Khan, currently in Africa on a trade mission, confirmed the fund in South Africa, alongside England Rugby World Cup Winner Jason Leonard OBE’s charity Atlas Foundation.
The round of funding forms part of Go! London, an initiative which has reportedly invested £8m into grassroots sports and physical activity organisations since 2023.
The Mayor said that this is “the capital’s biggest ever community sports fund that has already supported more than 180 organisations”, adding that the new investment will help “transform young Londoners’ lives”.
“I am delighted to be making the announcement in South Africa, where it has been a real privilege for me to visit the Atlas Foundation and see the amazing work they do in harnessing the power of rugby to support children living in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
“I’m delighted to be here celebrating our shared history and love of sport in South Africa as we continue building a better, fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.”
Writing in City AM last week the Mayor said that his trade mission, which includes this announcement in South Africa, “can drive growth, raise productivity and ultimately create more wealth and opportunities for Londoners and Africans alike, as we seek to build not just a better city, but a fairer and more prosperous world for everyone”.
Mayor of London fund
The Go! London project aims to reach 40,000 underserved Londoners by the end of next year, helping them to engage in activities such as cycling and rugby.
Applications for funding open today with a separate £34m mentoring programme also claiming to have supported 100,000 “disadvantaged young Londoners”.
Lisa Dodd-Mayne, executive director for Place at Sport England said: “We’re proud to continue to support Go! London as it enters a fourth round of foundation funding.
“We know the positive role sport can play in changing the lives of underserved and vulnerable young Londoners, and we want every child and young person in the capital to enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle. We look forward to supporting the widest range of community groups to help a generation of young people to reach their full potential.”
