Alongside VRU director, Lib Peck, the Mayor visited our Training Centre in Enfield where the Club was hosting the annual Godwin Lawson memorial tournament – dedicated to keeping alive the memory of a promising young footballer who tragically lost his life to knife crime in 2010.
The Tottenham Hotspur Foundation has been working with the Godwin Lawson Foundation – set up by Godwin’s mum, Yvonne, to commemorate her son’s life and convey anti-knife crime messages – for the past 15 years. Every summer, a tournament has taken place as part of the Foundation’s programme of activities to keep local young people engaged through the school holidays.
The Mayor was greeted by Foundation CEO, Marc Leckie, and our Women’s First Team Head Coach, Martin Ho, to observe activities taking place around the tournament – including workshops focused on eSports and healthy lifestyles – and speaking to some of the young people involved.
The funding announcement marks a significant expansion of London’s youth safety plans this summer, bolstered by a new year-long partnership between the VRU, the Premier League and 11 professional London football club charities, including Spurs Foundation.
Together, the partnership will use the reach of professional football clubs to support young people through sport, mentoring and employability activities aimed at strengthening community relationships and reducing young people’s risk of involvement in violence and exploitation.
The partnership has leveraged almost £700,000 investment from across the VRU, the Premier League via the Premier League Foundation and London United, who represent the community trusts of all professional football clubs in the capital. The club charities will work with London’s VRU to provide positive opportunities for young people during the crucial holiday period.
Delivery will take place through Premier League Kicks, the Premier League’s longest-standing community programme that recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary, providing targeted interventions, including one-to-one mentoring for young people at risk of exploitation, and support with life skills and employability.
In addition to the Godwin Lawson Tournament, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation is delivering a diverse programme of activities throughout the summer, providing young people with opportunities to stay active, develop new skills, and build positive futures. Through initiatives including Shape Up with Spurs fitness sessions, football camps, one-to-one employment and careers support, and girls’ football festivals across Haringey and Enfield, the Foundation is helping young people improve their wellbeing, grow in confidence, strengthen community connections, and access pathways into education, training, and employment.
A dedicated £600,000 pot from the VRU’s Stronger Futures programme will provide structured holiday activities for young people aged 8-18, with all funded organisations including food for young people to take home to their families.
A further £130,000 investment will expand summer sports and activities in key areas that typically lack provision. Alongside this, operating across nine neighbourhoods, the VRU's community-led MyEnds programme will bolster its holiday schedule to engage up to 18,000 young people with youth clubs, mentoring, trips, sports and creative arts.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “My mission is to ensure London is the safest and best city in the world for young people to grow up in, offering them the same support and opportunities this city gave to me.
“I am incredibly proud that my Violence Reduction Unit has joined forces with the Premier League and London’s football club charities to scale up activities and positive opportunities for young people this summer.
“This partnership is a vital component of our wider £1.5m summer funding package, designed to give young Londoners a helping hand as we work together to build a fairer, safer city for everyone.”
Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said: “The summer holidays shouldn't be a time of risk, yet we know that without the safety and structure that school provides, many young people are more vulnerable to exploitation and violence. Providing safe spaces and activities they want to be involved in during these months is absolutely vital to keeping them safe.
“I am really pleased that our ongoing work with London United has paved the way for this powerful new team-up with the Premier League. Together, we are securing crucial investment for the capital and expanding the reach of the Premier League Kicks programme.
“This initiative will work hand-in-hand with our broader VRU holiday programmes and City Hall funding, ensuring that young Londoners aren't just protected over the summer, but are actively supported to thrive.”
Marc Leckie, CEO, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, said: “It is vitally important that young people in our local communities are provided with the opportunity to take part in free, organised sporting activities during the school holidays. Not only does this keep our young people safe and off of the streets, it is also a huge driver of positive physical and mental health and wellbeing.
“Football clubs have a huge role to play during school holidays – we are at the heart of our communities and young people look to us for inspiration – and I speak on behalf of all clubs involved with London United that we are delighted to be receiving support from the Mayor of London, the VRU and Premier League to further our vitally important work collectively across the capital.”
Yvonne Lawson, Founder of the Godwin Lawson Foundation, said: “For the last 15 years, the Godwin Lawson Foundation and Tottenham Hotspur have proudly hosted this tournament in honour of Godwin, using sport as a powerful platform to educate young people about the devasting consequences of knife and violence.
“Held every summer, the tournament brings young people from diverse backgrounds, creating safer environments where young people can build positive friendships, team build, and receive vital messages about staying safe during the school holidays.
“This event reflects the Foundation’s enduring commitment to transforming lives through hope, opportunities and prevention.
“We welcome the Mayor’s funding boost, recognising that the summer holidays can be a particularly vulnerable time for young people with increased risk of exposure to violence and exploitation. Every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive in a safe environment free from violence and full of hope.”