Celebrating 10 years of Sported in Wales
By Sported | 3rd August 2022
Last month, we celebrated the community sports groups, young people and inspirational individuals that make up the Sported network in Wales with a 10-year anniversary event at the Cardiff City Stadium. Group leaders in the Sported network, Sported volunteers and stakeholders from funding and sport worlds in Wales came together to look back., hearing from Sported volunteers and group leaders.
Attendees heard from Mohamed Yusef from the Horn Development Association (Sported members since 2014). Based in Cardiff, the group uses football as part of their delivery to support young people. Their free support for the local community includes initiatives to increase employment opportunities, as well as football sessions which they use as a tool for inclusion and participation. Over the years in the Sported network, they have secured funding and worked with Sported volunteers to achieve their goals so they can continue to support young people.
Ravi Vedi shared her experiences as a Sported volunteer. Volunteering since 2015, she has helped countless groups in Wales and across the UK with fundraising support, reviewing funding applications, running webinars and much more. Read more about her volunteering experience in our interview with her.
Lastly, group leader Nicola Wheten from Apollos ABC explained how the boxing group was struggling to survive after the COVID-19 lockdowns and turned to the Wales Sported team for support. The group have been involved in a number of Sported projects and received grant funding and further support from Sported volunteers, working hard to keep the group sustainable and funding ready.
Alongside her, 18-year old Owain shared his story as the key-note speaker for the evening. Attending the boxing club since he was young, and explaining that during his early teenage years he was “in a dark place”, thanks to the support of Nicola and the coaches at Apollos ABC, Owain will be joining the Wales Boxing team at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
His story really brings to light how sport and community sports groups are so important to young people like him, and thousands of others.
The event truly summed up the incredible work of community sports groups across Wales and the vital support they give to thousands of young people. We look forward to the next 10 years (and beyond), continuing to support our amazing network of community sports groups to support young people facing disadvantage.
“If it wasn’t for the support we received from Sported, I’m certain the club would have had to close. There is no way we could have survived the pandemic. Being connected to Sported volunteers has saved our club for our community” - Nicola (Apollos ABC)
FInd out more about Sported in Wales
With thanks to Melyn Media, Apollos ABC, Stephens & George Charitable Trust, Carmathan Youth Centre and Your Space Marshes.