Learning Together – Sport England Together Fund
Over the past four years, our Foundation has enjoyed a successful partnership with Sport England. Through the Together Fund, we’ve delivered initiatives that contribute to our mission of providing positive, lasting change for residents.
The Together Fund was set up in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with £40m of National Lottery funding allocated to community groups across the UK.
It ran from April 2020 to September 2023 to support local groups’ engagement with people throughout the pandemic, and during the early recovery stages, intending to keep them active and connected.
Matt Corbett, Director of the L&Q Foundation, said:
“Our partnership with Sport England provides a blueprint for delivering social impact in communities where it’s needed most.
"We’ve taken on board the valuable lessons learned from running the Together Fund and continue to apply them through our targeted, place-based approach to community investment.
"By drawing on the strength of our relationships with local partners, we’re able to maximise the benefits for residents.”
Participants’ voices: ‘Edmonton Eagles’ boxing sessions in Edmonton, north London:
“I am grateful for Edmonton Eagles and what it does for the younger generation in the community by offering open sessions every day of the week in which anyone could reap personal growth.”
Elham, aged 15
“The free sessions that are offered by Edmonton Eagles have had a massive positive effect on my life in many aspects and will always continue to benefit me and improve me both as a boxer and as a person.”
Erhan, aged 19
Through our Foundation’s partnership with Sport England, we were one of 81 partners who delivered funding to community-focused organisations during Covid-19 and beyond.
Our partnership with Sport England continues to strengthen through our Get Set Go! programme of sporting activities to improve health and mental wellbeing.
Since September 2021, our Foundation has delivered Get Set Go! with Sport England funding. It aims to tackle inequalities by inspiring people from diverse backgrounds to get active, boost their health and wellbeing and interact socially.
This first phase of Get Set Go! ran until June 2024 and supported 23 organisations across the Beaumont Estate in Waltham Forest and the Silwood Estate in Lewisham.
In both areas, we have a high density of homes and the communities face barriers to social inclusion.
The range of benefits for local people and organisations included:
- increased community activity and investment
- improved physical and mental health
- the creation of safe spaces for young people
- effective partnership-working and
- the positive impact of place-based approaches to interventions
Matt Corbett, Director of the L&Q Foundation, said:
“Opportunities to get involved in physical activity depend too much on your background and bank balance. This is one of many reasons our continued partnership with Sport England is so important.
“Our vision in this phase of Get Set Go was for all sporting activities to be delivered by local organisations and resident-led groups. This paved the way for an offer based on constant dialogue with residents who really know and understand their local area.”
In July 2024, an additional £500,000 of funding was confirmed to extend the programme to the additional locations of Newham, Tower Hamlets, Barking and Dagenham and Lambeth in London and Trafford in Manchester.
We’re currently working with local people and organisations on a programme of activities designed to get residents moving and improve community cohesion.
Our experience working with Sport England highlights the effectiveness of working with a national partner to ensure maximum impact at a local level and get funding to the communities and organisations most in need.
Register your interest in partnering with us to deliver the Get Set Go! programme by completing the online form.