Sports charity receives £1.5m from Trust looking to help young people recover from Covid-19 crisis

A youth sports charity has been handed £1.5m from a charitable trust that has a focus this year on helping young people recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

London based Greenhouse Sports has received the donation from the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, which is focusing on youth funding for the first part of 2021, due to the impact on young people’s lives amid the health crisis.

The money will be used by the charity to roll out its programmes in schools and increase its reach, to more than 7,000 young people a year.

“The last 12 months have been extraordinary,” said Greenhouse Sports chief executive Beatrice Butsana-Sita.

“Young Londoners growing up in our toughest communities have been disproportionately impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. They need support now more than ever as the road to ‘catch up’ what has been lost in terms of education, milestones and enriching experiences is a long and vital one.

“We are delighted to have the transformational support of Julia & Hans Rausing as we embark on the next chapter of Greenhouse Sports journey.

“Thanks to them we will ensure Greenhouse coaches are there for more young people than ever through our strategic expansion to test new initiatives, increase our engagement with schools and collaborate more widely across the sector. All whilst harnessing the power of sport as a tool for social change.”

This is the first in a series of donations to be announced by the Trust to support youth initiatives, which have been hit by the twin threat of rising demand reduced income during the health crisis.

A survey of more than 1,700 youth organisations by UK Youth released last month found that two thirds have seen a rise in demand, while 83% have seen their income fall.

Julia and Hans Rausing added: “We have seen first-hand the impact that Greenhouse Sports has had over a significant period of time in improving the life chances of children in difficult circumstances across London.

“This donation will enable them to continue their excellent programmes and further level the playing field for more young people, who have faced much of the last year away from schools and the youth support services that are so desperately needed.”