The Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) has partnered with the community foundations of all 17 of London’s professional football clubs with the aim of tackling violence and exploitation.
London’s VRU has teamed up with London United, formed of the club community organisations (CCO) of all the capital city's clubs, including Premier League clubs Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham.
Sadiq Khan made the announcement at an event at Wembley Stadium. The partnership features a commitment between the VRU and the capital’s CCOs to work together during a targeted ‘week of opportunity’ for young people every summer. The Mayor also announced his VRU is investing £6 million in targeted and localised prevention programmes – some of which football club community organisations already help to deliver.
To support the partnership, a London United report ‘Keeping Young Londoners Safe’ shows the breadth of prevention and youth safety work delivered by CCOs. Latest data shows that in 2023/24, almost £8million was invested by football club trusts in diversionary activities, targeted prevention and youth safety sessions. Collectively, the 16 trusts delivered 100 projects across 31 London boroughs, supporting more than 30,000 children and young people.
The Mayor said: “Our approach is showing signs of progress, with record reductions in homicides, knife crime and violence with injury in London. But it’s clear we need to do more and that’s why I’m pleased to announce a new landmark partnership between the community foundations of London’s 17 football clubs, and my VRU.
“Working together, harnessing the power of football and the unrivalled role clubs and foundations play in uniting our diverse communities, fostering identity, pride and a sense of belonging, means this partnership could be a gamechanger in our efforts to keep young people safe and supported to thrive.”
Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said: “The strength of prevention and its contribution to the progress we’re seeing in driving down violence in London is firmly built on a foundation of partnership.
“There is no one single approach, organisation or institution capable or responsible for tackling the complex causes of violence alone, and that’s why we have made working with young people, local authorities, community organisations and others, the core of everything we do.
“The partnership with London United builds on this approach and recognises not only how important football is as a hook to engage young people, but how it enables a range of targeted youth safety and prevention work delivered all year round by foundations. We are looking forward to working with all 16 community foundations on a shared objective to tackle violence and provide positive opportunities for thousands of young Londoners.”
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