Pledge to make a difference, together.
Champions Community Sport and Health CIC was established in September 2020, by our Director Craig Gilmore. Having delivered sport in the South Leeds community for over 18 years, Craig identified that a large proportion of children/young adults in South Leeds whose families were struggling financially, didn't have the funds to join the more traditional sports clubs/organised activities in the area, and consequently were becoming increasingly inactive, hungry, socially isolated and in some cases, involved in local gangs and anti-social behaviour.
In response to this problem, we started to provide FREE turn up and play football sessions for children/young adults in the South Leeds area. Sessions are every Saturday 10.30am - 11.30am on Hunslet Moor in Beeston, Leeds. We also include breakfast and lunch as most arrive hungry and don't go home.
Our aim is to make sport available to young people, who live in what is one of the most deprived areas of Leeds, irrespective of their age, ability and background.
Our first session was attended by 18 children/young people and our most recent by 102, with 410 names on our database. This has been achieved through word of mouth, and because Craig (our Director) has the trust of the children/young people and their families living in the area, having taught many of them from the age of 4 years old. Approximately 98% of those attending are of a Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) background, which reflects the diversity of the local population.
We also run camps in the school holidays Easter, Summer and Christmas. This is to address the free school meal gap, ensuring each child doesn't go hungry during these weeks.