What is sports team sponsorship?
Through our Sports Team Sponsorship campaign, we offer charity sponsorship for football, rugby, basketball, hockey or any other teams/clubs.
Whether this be funding sports kits, match shirts or equipment, offering subsidised membership and sessions, we want to make sport more accessible to every child. We only started this programme this year but want to sponsor more teams so we help more children be active and live healthy and happy lives.
What inspired our Sports Team Sponsorship Campaign?
Being active can help to improve both physical and mental well-being. Regular exercise has many health benefits for children:
• improving fitness
• providing an opportunity to socialise
• increasing concentration
• improving academic scores
• building a stronger heart, bones and healthier muscles
• encouraging healthy growth and development
• improving self-esteem
• improving posture and balance
• lowering stress
• encouraging a better night’s sleep
However, throughout the UK many children do not have access to a sports team, a club or physical activity. In fact, more than half of children in the UK do not meet the recommended daily target for physical activity.
This can be due to many reasons such as not being able to afford club membership, not being able to afford equipment or not having physical access to a club. This year, having become aware of this, here at Little Lives UK we decided to start our Sports Teams Sponsorship Campaign. We are now dedicated to sponsoring teams, clubs and activities that can make a difference to children.
Who have our Sports Teams Sponsorships has helped?
These are the clubs we have sponsored and what we have accomplished so far:
Christchurch Amateur Boxing Club
We are proud to be sponsoring the Christchurch Amateur Boxing Club in Dorset. Through our sponsorship we have been able to provide two cycling machines for use by the club. We have also sponsored the match top for one of the club’s professionals for a professional bout. The club offers a great place for children to meet new people, learn to deal with any concerns they have in a controlled manner, keep fit and learn new skills.
Feltham Amateur Boxing Club
Our partnership and sponsorship of the Feltham Amateur Boxing Club in West London is one of our most established partnerships. We have sponsored the club since 2019 and have been able to provide free and subsidised sessions that children can access a couple of times a week. In an area which statistically has high rates of anti-social behaviour, the club offers a safe space where children and young people can meet, keep fit, keep out of the way of potential trouble and learn new skills.
Oakmeadians Rugby Club
Oakmeadians Rugby Club is based in Bournemouth and provides the second biggest youth section in the area with over 450 children taking part. Our sponsorship with Oakmeadians Rugby Club has ensured that two teams have match shirts for all of their games, and a number of children who otherwise would not be able to afford a season membership can also join.
We are always looking for new sponsorships and work all over the UK so can sponsor any children’s sports team or club!
Why is it important to sponsor children’s sports teams?
Research shows that most children are not doing enough physical activity. Reasons for this include: cost, lifestyle, location, role models and social influences. Income particularly affects exercise, with children from more affluent homes exercising more than low-income households. One of the biggest barriers therefore, for parents to get their children to do more exercise is cost and the lack of free or cheap facilities.
Unfortunately, Britain is now in a cost-of-living crisis. Inflation is at all-time high, reaching over 10% something which has not happened in 40 years. Predictions suggest that this will increase further.
The crisis has been brought on by Brexit, the pandemic, labour shortages, supply chain issues and the energy crisis. The results have meant that there are soaring costs and people are having to make decisions about cutting back on food, electricity and transport to save money. It has been reported that over 50% of people have brought fewer groceries. People are skipping meals and over half are spending less on non-essentials.
Children’s sport is one of the many things under threat. Some rugby clubs have reported parents having to choose between buying food and children doing sport with parents not able to afford equipment and uniform or petrol for travel. The cost-of-living crisis is already having devasting impacts on sports clubs with 2,600 grassroot football clubs closed and this is only likely to get worse with no end in sight for the crisis and a costly winter approaching.
This is why here at Little Lives UK we want to help this by sponsoring teams and helping stop closures by funding kits, equipment, free sessions and memberships. To allow children to still be able to access their sports teams and clubs.
Where do we want to go with our Sports Team Sponsorship Campaign?
We want to expand our Sports Team Sponsorship Campaign and help more children access sport. As a charity we are dedicated to helping children achieve healthy and happy childhoods and having access to sports teams and clubs is part of our mission. We want to promote health lifestyles and encourage the future athletes of the UK.
To reach children who cannot access sport whether this be due to cost, location or socio-cultural barriers. With the cost-of-living crisis potentially limiting sports teams and clubs it has never been more important to sponsor more teams so that children can still have access to sport and exercise.
How can you help us?
Help us today by spreading the word about our campaign. Friends, family, schools, leisure centres! We want to spread the word and help more children! If you know a sports team or club that could use some sponsorship, get them in touch with us!
You can find out more and apply for sponsorship here.
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