ConnectSport CIC works with regional media partners to build advocacy and awareness for impactful local sport for development charities and organisations.
We support and train students at numerous Universities across the UK to compile these features and films, which helps them to meet their academic objectives and build their portfolios or CVs, while simultaneously helping local organisations raise awareness of their vital work in local communities. For more information contact hello@connectsport.co.uk
Watch out for more features and films coming soon from towns and communities near you!
“IT’S A GOOD THING TO DO AS A FAMILY” – JUNIOR PARKRUN WEDNESFIELD CELEBRATES 11 YEARS OF BRINGING GENERATIONS TOGETHER
By Reece Hibbert-Reid and Harry Andrews
Junior parkrun in Wednesfield is celebrating 11 years of bringing local families together to keep fit, healthy and socially connected. Since launching in 2015, the free weekly 2km event in Wednesfield Park, east Wolverhampton has welcomed thousands of children aged four to 14 to walk, jog, run or volunteer every Sunday morning. It has become a regular part of family life, creating a welcoming environment where children can be active, build confidence, make friends and celebrate their own achievements. Alongside the young people are parents, grandparents and local people volunteering, all playing their part in making the event a positive and inclusive community experience. Read more.
Read this story in the Express & Star.
Read it in the Birmingham Mail.
How hip hop and Bhangra are helping local communities tackle inactivity and social isolation
By Ryan Ellis, Rammael Curtiss and Rhys Hunt
A community-led fitness programme in Wolverhampton is helping people from diverse backgrounds become more active and socially connected by combining exercise with cultural music and dance traditions. The Free Fusion Chair Beatz Movement & Chai Sessions, organised by the Wolverhampton-based Ethnic Minority Council (EMC), aims to engage individuals who may not normally take part in conventional sports or fitness activities. Offering seated and standing options, the sessions cater for all ages and abilities, and ensure organisers are able to provide a fun and welcoming environment that encourages long-term participation. Read more.
Read it in the Express & Star.
Wellness Running Club helps residents discover confidence, connection and recovery
By Anthony Williams
A simple idea to get moving outdoors is making a powerful difference to the lives of people recovering from addiction in Wolverhampton. Founded by Run2Happiness with the support of SUIT (Service User Involvement Team) and Recovery Near You, the weekly ‘Wellness Running Club’ sessions in West Park provide a welcoming environment where people of all abilities can walk, run and connect with others, while improving both their physical and mental wellbeing. Read more.
Read this story in the Express & Star.
Read it in the Birmingham Mail.
"The therapy on the pitch is amazing!" - How cricket has come to mean so much for one GP
By Malaika Khan and Amy Lloyd
A Wolverhampton-based GP has pledged her support for the new Sport for Change Wolverhampton initiative, after revealing how becoming a cricket player and coach transformed her life and reinforced her belief in the broader health and social benefits of sport. Gurjeet Malhi says cricket was something she admired from a distance while growing up. She attended a Wolverhampton comprehensive school and would watch matches on television during her lunch breaks, fascinated by the sport but feeling it was out of reach. Read more.
Read the story in the Birmingham Mail.
Read it in the Express & Star.
ConnectSport CIC launches 'Sport for Change Cities' pilot programme in Wolverhampton
By Rony Omar
ConnectSport CIC has launched the first in a series of online hubs showcasing how community-based groups and organisations within specific UK cities are using sport and physical activity to drive positive social, health, environmental and economic impact. The project is being backed by the University of Wolverhampton and Wolves Foundation, and includes a free-to-join directory of local organisations who are doing amazing work in under-represented or disadvantaged communities, but often lack marketing and communications capacity or resources. ConnectSport CIC helps to train students from the University to tell stories and create content about these organisations. Read more.
Read this story in the Birmingham Mail.
Read it on Yahoo Sport UK.
Tackling harmful norms: Charities tackle violence and abuse against women and girls
By Ellie Davis
Three charities working out of Birmingham have revealed how they are supporting a new five-year programme funded by Comic Relief which supports young girls and boys, and uses sport to tackle violence and abuse against women and girls, and promote positive masculinity. Read more.
Creed creating a positive ripple effect through sport in Coventry
By Beth McCowen
When Mushtaq Dawod and Safwan Ahmed were growing up in Coventry, their local youth clubs were a lifeline. After-school sessions, football tournaments and boxing classes at Positive Youth Foundation (PYF) gave them a safe space, a sense of belonging, and - without them realising at the time - the blueprint for something much bigger. Read more.
Safe spaces and positive activities: In2 providing 'obvious solutions' in Stoke
By Alex Charlton
In communities across Stoke-on-Trent, funding cuts to youth services over recent years have had a big impact - but in Meir, one social enterprise has been providing young people with the space and encouragement to thrive. Read more.
Boxing clever: How Brightstar is helping young people navigate challenges
By Juliet Nottingham
It was 2016 when Joe Lockley began providing regular boxing sessions for local young people in Cosford, Shropshire. Two years later, with the support of his fellow director Kat Stanworth, Joe moved the coaching sessions into an industrial warehouse in nearby Shifnal – and a safe haven was born. Read about the amazing story of Brightstar Boxing Academy. Read more.
Friendship, fun and feeling empowered: Wolverhampton women welcome new self-defence class
A former Royal Marines Commando has been leading self-defence classes for women and girls in Wolverhampton, aimed at building confidence and empowering them to become more active. Kelvin Davies set up ‘Reel Grappling’ this summer after more than 12 years in the Marines. It offers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes in the Fallings Park areas of the city on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and at The Way Youth Zone in central Wolverhampton on Fridays. Read more.
The bright idea changing football for people with diabetes
By Sanya Chauhan
When Worcestershire-based Chris Bright was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of eight, football became both a sanctuary and a challenge. A lifelong passion for the game led him into semi-professional football and eventually to representing Wales in futsal. Yet, behind the success, Chris carried the weight of stigma, misconceptions, and the daily realities of managing a condition that 'never leaves you alone'.
'Social element' helping Leicester CIC go from strength to strength
By Emma Seligman
A Leicester sports organisation which prides itself on community, opportunity and providing people with a place to belong is going from strength to strength. Richard Moore Sports CIC is a not-for-profit community interest company focused on sports development and community engagement, with a strong emphasis on youth and inclusivity.
'We're saving lives' - inside the thriving Birmingham youth sports academy
By Beth McCowen
After injury cut his footballing career short, one Birmingham coach turned heartbreak into hope. Anwar Khattak established the Birmingham Youth Sports Academy (BYSA) Foundation that has changed thousands of lives across some of the city's overlooked areas. “BYSA changes lives, it saves lives. It’s there trying to make Birmingham better,” says Anwar. Read more.
From my back garden to Molineux: The football tournament that really cares about players
By Thomas Gibson
The football season maybe over but the ‘beautiful game’ is still having a huge impact on the lives of young people, particularly for Stefan Bishop. The 25-year-old from Walsall, affectionately known as ‘Stef’ by his team-mates, put on his goalkeeping gloves for the final time in a national tournament for young people who are care-experienced at Wolves FC’s Molineux Stadium. Read about the annual ‘National Championship Cup’, hosted by the City of Wolverhampton Council and the Wolves Foundation, which brought together more than 200 young people aged 16 to 25, and 20 teams representing councils from across England. Read more.
If you would like your community sport organisation or sport for development charity to be considered for an article in this series, please contact hello@connectsport.co.uk
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