Mayor announces new £1.4m investment to transform young Londoners’ lives through sport

• Mayor opens applications for £1.4m funding for Go! London – the capital's biggest ever community sport fund.
• Sadiq makes announcement while visiting South African arm of ‘Tackle London' programme that supports young people through sport and mentoring.
• Concluding a packed trade mission agenda across the continent, the event underscores investing in the next generation and transforming lives through sport among the Mayor's top priorities

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced a new £1.4 million investment to transform young Londoners' lives through sport as part of his successful Go! London initiative, which is the capital's biggest ever community sports fund.

Go! London is a five-year partnership between the Mayor, London Marathon Foundation, Sport England, London Marathon Events and London Sport. The initiative supports community sport and physical activity initiatives, as well as investing directly in the next generation of leaders in the sector by supporting young social entrepreneurs.

Since Sadiq launched Go! London in 2023, it has invested over £8 million in more than 200 grassroots sport and physical activity organisations, with total investment expected to surpass £22 million across the partnership. By the end of next year, it will have provided over 40,000 underserved young Londoners with opportunities to engage in activities like rugby, cycling, skating and yoga. [1].

Sadiq opened the £1.4m Go! London funding for applications today (19 July) while visiting the Atlas Foundation in Cape Town, South Africa – a charity that uses rugby and mentoring to help children in vulnerable communities around the world, including London.

Founded by former England Rugby World Cup Winner Jason Leonard OBE, the charity works across 21 countries to provide access to education, nutrition, clean water, and safe spaces for play and development. Its mission is to improve young people's lives through the core values of rugby: teamwork, respect, discipline and enjoyment. [2]

Sadiq visited the South African arm of The Atlas Foundation who, along with partners Matt Ratana Foundation and Star*Scheme, deliver the Tackle London programme, which supports young people through sport and mentoring. The Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation was set up in response to the tragic death in September 2020 of police sergeant and rugby coach, Matt Ratana, with all funds raised supporting the design and delivery of school and community rugby initiatives, both nationally and internationally.

Tackle London is funded through the Mayor's £34m mentoring programme and has supported 100,000 disadvantaged young Londoners [3] including those who are not in mainstream education or have been excluded from school or college, those living in poverty or in the care system, those who have been through the criminal justice system and those impacted by exploitation or domestic violence.

Tackle London has received £250,000 of this funding and has so far reached over 1,000 young people, through specially trained rugby coaches and clubs, working alongside schools to develop positive, supportive relationships for young people in communities facing increased levels of poverty, neglect and disadvantage. [4]

This works alongside the Mayor's record investment in prevention through his Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and its delivery of 400,000 diversionary activities and positive opportunities for young people. This includes £1m investment this year in sports activities for young people. The VRU is also delivering a programme of after-school activities, which includes funding for London Irish to deliver access to safe spaces and activities for at-risk girls and young women in five London boroughs.

As part of the Mayor's historic visit, Sadiq took part in a special rugby session with over 40 young people, where he engaged with staff and volunteers to gain further insight into how the Atlas Foundation in South Africa are using sport and education to create safe, inclusive spaces. 

Sadiq has been in Africa this week to lead a trade mission and bang the drum for London as a place to invest and do business - the first London Mayor to ever tour the continent. He has attended a series of high-level business and cultural events in Lagos, Nigeria and Accra, Ghana and commemorated Mandela Day in Johannesburg - an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted to announce the next round of funding application for our successful Go! London initiative, the capital's biggest ever community sports fund that has already supported more than 180 grassroots sport and physical activity organisations.

“I know the huge difference that sport can make to physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and this new £1.4 million investment will help transform young Londoners' lives.

“I am delighted to be making the announcement in South Africa, where it has been a real privilege for me to visit the Atlas Foundation and see the amazing work they do in harnessing the power of rugby to support children living in some of the world's most vulnerable communities.

“I'm delighted to be here celebrating our shared history and love of sport in South Africa as we continue building a better, fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.”

Transforming the lives of Londoners through sport is one of Mayor's top priorities, having invested £15 million between 2018 and 2024. Sadiq has championed community sport through his Sport Unites programme, which uses the power of sport to not only encourage physical activity but also build pride, reduce the barriers to access, improve mental health and wellbeing, create job opportunities and support young people at risk of youth violence. [5]

The Mayor has also supported London EmpowerHER, a one-year pilot from April 2024 to March 2025, in two boroughs: Brent and Redbridge, in collaboration with England Rugby [6]. The programme supported young women and girls from underserved communities to take part in non-contact rugby, providing physical activity and transferable leadership skills. The programme has supported over 2,000 women and girls, 90% of whom had previously not taken part in rugby activities and the project now runs for a second year until March 2026 in the borough of Brent.

Sadiq has declared London the global capital for women's sport in 2025, with the city hosting a number of major women's sporting events across the year, including the final of the Women's Rugby Would Cup on September 27. As part of the Host City Impact programme, community organisations and activity providers will be funded to deliver rugby to women and girls aged over 16-years-old. The programme will develop social playing opportunities, providing support and resources, aiming to engage at least 2,500 women in regular sustained activity.

Sue Anderson, Atlas Executive Director, said: “With the focus and commitment of The Atlas Foundation, we work with young girls and boys in some of the harshest communities, to equip and empower them in education, health, and well-being to become the very best person that they can be.

“Together, through the unifying spirit and values of rugby, we are not only changing lives but also laying the groundwork for a more just and equitable future for all.  By ensuring a genuine sense of pride and dignity, it transcends into one of hope and belief, and this truly has the power to change the narrative of our beautiful country. 

“We extend a warm welcome to the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan and thank him for the pride and affirmation extended to our young Atlas South Africa girls and boys today alongside the new investment the exceptional Go!London children's initiative.”

Joel Stransky, Former Springbok, 1995 Rugby World Cup Winner and Atlas South Africa Champion, said: “I am extremely proud to represent The Atlas Foundation and am delighted to see that the Mayor of London is visiting the Rainbow National and Atlas South Africa in particular. 

“The beautiful game not only helped bring us together as a nation in 1995 under the incredible leadership of Madiba, it has also given many of us so much! 

“To be able to help and teach others, using the values of this great sport, is a real privilege.  Prince William's recent visit inspired many young learners and aspiring sports persons, and this visit will no doubt do the same!  We all extend a very warm South African welcome to the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.”

Lisa Dodd-Mayne, Executive Director for Place at Sport England said: “We're proud to continue to support Go! London as it enters a fourth round of foundation funding.

“We know the positive role sport can play in changing the lives of underserved and vulnerable young Londoners, and we want every child and young person in the capital to enjoy the benefits of an active lifestyle. We look forward to supporting the widest range of community groups to help a generation of young people to reach their full potential.”

Mike Diaper, Group Funding and Impact Director at the London Marathon Foundation, said: “Our vision at the London Marathon Foundation is to Inspire Activity, and our collaboration with the Go! London partners is doing this for thousands of underserved young Londoners. We want to build on the success of the past two years of Go! London, and look forward to funding further community groups across the capital to change the lives of many more children and young people through sport and physical activity, supporting their physical, mental and social wellbeing.”

For more information on the Go! London initiative and to apply for funding, please visit: Foundation Round 4 Now Open! | Go! London

Notes to editors

[1] Go! London is a five-year partnership between the Mayor, London Marathon Foundation and Sport England, with strategic guidance from London Marathon Events and London Sport. It is the biggest community sport fund in the capital. https://golondon.org.uk/

[2] The Atlas Foundation exists to help care, support and guide deprived children towards a better future. Its mission is rooted in the core values of rugby—teamwork, respect, discipline, and enjoyment—to create long-term, sustainable change for young people. https://theatlascharity.org/

[3] Mayor delivers record mentoring investment for 100,000 young people most in need of support in London https://www.london.gov.uk/media-centre/mayors-press-release/mayor-delivers-record-mentoring-investment-for-100-000-young-people-most-in-need-of-support-in-london

[4] Tackle London is a youth development programme which uses the power of sports mentoring to uplift young people who have been affected by Adverse Childhood/Community Experiences (ACEs). https://tacklelondon.org/

[5] Sport Unites is the Mayor's flagship community sports programme. It supports his long-term vision to make London the most active and socially-integrated city in the world. https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/sport/sport-unites-programme

[6] England Rugby and the Mayor of London have launched London EmpowerHER, a new project which aims to create a healthier, safer and more inclusive future for young women and girls in Redbridge and Brent. https://www.englandrugby.com/follow/news-and-media/england-rugby-and-mayor-of-london-launch-project-to-empower-young-girls