Spotlight on… The Health and Wellbeing Award

The London Sport Awards 2020 supported by the City of London Corporation will bring hundreds of people from across London together on Friday 6 March to celebrate the best of grassroots physical activity and sport in the capital.

In the build-up to the event, we’re taking a look at each Award category and its shortlisted nominees to find out who might be taking home a London Sport Award trophy on the night.

Today, we’re focusing on the Health and Wellbeing Award.

Who is in the running?

The Health and Wellbeing Award highlights projects, programmes, campaigns and initiatives that help to raise awareness and enhance the impact of physical activity and sport on promoting good health among London’s population.

Competition in this category was so fierce that the Judging Panel elected to advance a shortlist of four nominees. Here they are.

Caridon Foundation

Founded in April 2017 in Croydon, the Caridon Foundation is a not-for-profit social enterprise supporting people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Through a coalition of partners including GPs, the South London and Maudsley NHS Mental Health Trust, Drug and Alcohol Services and other homelessness providers, the Caridon Foundation Eagles was born. 

Following a successful 12-week Summer football scheme delivered with Crystal Palace and funded by the Mayor of London in 2019, Caridon Foundation Eagles went on to become the new Palace for Life Community Mental Health Team with a weekly turnout of 25 players. 

For two hours a week, players put aside their struggles and challenges to come together as a team, becoming a family together through sport.

Core Sport

A previous winner at the London Sport Awards 2017, Core Sport is a department of Core Arts, an adult mental health charity based in Hackney.

The team work to promote positive mental health and wellbeing through sport to overcome barriers and improve both mental wellbeing and physical health, expanding in 2019 from Hackney to become a pan-London service for adults with mild to severe mental health needs.

Core Sport currently have over 2,500 members on their books, with 75% of members participating in at least one session per week. 

By building partnerships with both the health and sport sectors through partnership working with GPs, hospitals and mental health providers and delivering programmes in community venues within Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and a range of sport and community stakeholders, Core Sport has made a massive impact on the lives of its members.

Hestia Family Fitness

The Hestia Family Fitness Project aims to improve the health and fitness levels of children accessing Hestia’s Domestic Abuse and Modern Slavery services.

By providing families with the opportunities and resources to be active, Hestia helps families to overcome the barriers they may face by working in a trauma-informed way and using physical activity as a tool to facilitate recovery from abuse.

In 2019, Hestia ran services across 12 London boroughs and delivered over 100 family fitness sessions in locations accessible to families living in Hestia’s Domestic Abuse Refuges, including leisure centres, parks and community halls, with 100% of children aged 7+ involved in the programme reporting that it brought their families closer, increased time together and provided enjoyment to them.

Step Change Studios

Established by Rashmi Becker two years ago in response to a lack of inclusive dance opportunities for disabled people, Step Change Studios has so far supported over 2,000 disabled people to participate in dance.

Providing dance in community, social care, healthcare, education and sports and leisure centres for all ages and abilities, Step Change Studios’ work helps to advocate for greater diversity and inclusive practice in dance.

In 2019, Step Change Studios created the UK’s first blind ballroom dance programme supporting adults with sight loss who were facing social isolation. As the programme and its team of community volunteers developed, participants’ confidence and engagement grew, creating new networks of friends and dancers.

Who’s in the Hall of Fame?

The Health and Wellbeing Award was introduced in 2018, with its two previous winners comprising the category’s Hall of Fame:

• Sport and Health Programme – Single Homeless Project (2019)
• Move It, Lose It – Palace for Life Foundation (2018)

Join us

This week marks your last chance to grab one of the few remaining tickets for the London Sport Awards 2020 supported by the City of London Corporation. If you’re planning to join us, book now, and be there to see who emerges as the winner of the Health and Wellbeing Award.

Get your tickets here.