Elvire Mavusi Matu set up Konverse Dance Crews (KDC) when she was just 14 years old. Its aim? To empower young people and adults, as well as overcome youth violence, through dance.

Now, she’s an award winner at the National Lottery Game Changer Awards and KDC run sessions and shows across the Barking and Dagenham area of east London.

“I mainly started it because there wasn’t that many places to go in the borough,” Mavusi Matu outlines.

“A lot of youth clubs were closing and youth violence was a factor where people just felt like it wasn’t safe to be in their local area.

“My aim mainly was just to get people off the streets and doing something that’s a bit more fun and keeping them active, healthy and empowering their lives through dance.”

Fast forward 11 years, and a spotlight has now been shone on the great work that Mavusi Matu and KDC have been and continue to do in the capital.

Having been asked to perform as part of the National Lottery’s 30^th anniversary celebrations, Mavusi Matu was surprised with the announcement that she would be recognised with a Game Changer award.

“I don’t do things to be recognised at all,” she declares. “To be put on a platform like that in front of thousands of people and them shouting and praising about all the work I’ve done, honestly, it was just amazing. It was a lot. It was wholesome. It was overwhelming.”

Joining Sported’s network of community groups in 2020, KDC received free professional expertise and consultancy support from dedicated volunteer consultant Maureen, helping them get formally established as an independent club.

“I love Maureen,” Mavusi Matu adds. “I had weekly sessions with Maureen, and we worked on our constitution, the type of business structure we wanted.

“Honestly, if it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have thought about setting it up in a way that it still has that community impact – where it’s still not-for-profit and we’re still very much just doing it to benefit the community.

“There’s obviously so many things that I wouldn’t have known, so having the support from Maureen and Sported just ensured that I was able to set up the club in the correct way and ensure that we really meet some of the legal requirements that we need to be able to run a safe club.

“I definitely couldn’t have done it without the help of Sported to show me this is the right way of doing it and ensure that this is done right.”

And what next for Mavusi Matu and KDC following on from the awards? The answer, more.

“It’s pushed me more to want to be able to do more and benefit more people and ensure that more people in the borough have access to the work that we’re doing, so they can also benefit and feel empowered,” she reflects.

“The Mayor of London as well congratulated me and my local MP from Barking also would like to visit us and the work that we’re doing.

“I think since winning the award it’s made me definitely realise that there’s more that I want to do.”

Find out more about Konverse Dance Crews, their journey, as well as where and when they meet, at www.konversedancecrews.co.uk.

Sported is the UK’s largest grassroots sport charity, supporting a network of over 5,000 clubs and groups in communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Providing free support, guidance, resources and grant programmes, explore the support your club can get by visiting www.sported.org.uk/hub.