DFY ambassador Zoe Smith welcomes support from The National Lottery Community Fund
Team GB Olympic weightlifter Zoe Smith has welcomed a grant from The National Lottery Community Fund that will help disadvantaged young people to reach their potential through sporting projects.
Smith, an ambassador for DFY, the benevolent arm of International Sports Consulting, received the £10,000 cash injection on behalf of the Foundation, which will provide vital funds ahead of the start of several new DFY programmes in 2021.
“Sport gives disadvantaged young people the unique opportunity to escape from the hardships of everyday life. I grew up in poor environment in Abbey Wood, but sport was always a welcome distraction that helped to shape me as a person.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen the devastating impact of Covid-19 on young people. As we start to return to some form of normality, these programmes can help to bring positive change to people’s lives.
“DFY is all about engaging with kids who may have had disadvantaged upbringings and providing them with an opportunity to find their path. This funding support marks a turning point for many young people and as an ambassador of the Foundation, I can’t wait to be a part of the new programmes.”
Zoe Smith
The National Lottery Community Fund grant will help programmes such as the DFY partnership with ARK Franklin Schools in the London Borough of Brent, which launched earlier this year following a successful pilot scheme at ARK Wembley in 2019. More than 200 children aged six to 11-years-old will benefit from the partnership.
DFY provides unique leadership, mentoring and coaching to underprivileged children through a network of sport ambassadors, which also includes former England international rugby player Freddie Burns.
“I’m very proud to be a part of this great group of ambassadors and I believe we can all play our part in creating improved opportunities for disadvantaged young people.
“Sport really can have a huge impact that transforms lives. It is so important that we continue to raise awareness for the invaluable role that DFY programmes play within communities in this country.”
Freddie Burns, former England international
DFY aims to drive engagement and participation in these programmes amongst young people by highlighting how valuable the role of sport is in tackling social issues of inequality and discrimination.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has drastically impacted the mental and physical health of young people in the UK, particularly for those individuals who are already marginalised in their communities.
“We are extremely grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund and all of its players for providing us with the opportunity to engage more children in our programmes and help them to reach their potential.
“We can’t wait to get back out onto the pitch and continue making a real difference to the lives of young people.”
Nick Robinson, Founder of DFY
While DFY were forced to put their programmes on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it provided an opportunity to finalise the overall strategy and structure of the Foundation. As well as diversifying their group of ambassadors, DFY were able to appoint a full-time member of staff for the first time.
On top of those changes, Mark Griffin MBE has taken on the role of Co-Chairman and his expertise in the commercial and non-profit sectors will be invaluable in taking the Foundation forward.
For more information or to donate to DFY, click here: https://www.dfy.org.uk/donate.