Bloomsbury Football Foundation
Bloomsbury Football Foundation is helping thousands of children across London build confidence and a place to belong through the power of play. During our visit to their half-term football camp at Westway Sports Centre, we saw first-hand how funding helps create joyful, safe spaces where children and young people can be active, supported and free to be themselves.
Removing barriers to play
At the heart of Bloomsbury Football Foundation’s commitment to inclusivity is their mission to show children that football is for everyone. From their girls’ provision (reaching over 2,200 girls per week) to their special educational needs and disabilities programme, the Foundation is reaching as many children and young people across London as possible, and they are ensuring finances are not another barrier to overcome.
Their latest programme welcomes refugee children, many of whom are living in temporary or overcrowded accommodation. These sessions give children the chance to get outside, build friendships, and experience the positive impact football can have on their wellbeing and feeling part of the community.
Francisco Ortiz Yuli, Head of Impact and Strategy, explains how the Foundation’s financial assistance model works:
“Our financial assistance model helps to break down the barriers to accessing football – not just high costs but low community engagement and lack of facilities.
That’s why 86% of our players receive financial assistance – so no one is priced out of play. By opening the sport to more children and young people, our programmes help them stay active and connect with peers from different backgrounds.”
How our funding helps children access football
We’ve partnered with Bloomsbury Football Foundation since 2022, supporting the charity across seven fundraising campaigns (Big Give’s Christmas Challenge and Champions for Children). These campaigns have focused on enabling access for young people living in the capital’s most deprived communities, particularly girls and young women in these areas, who are most likely to be inactive. Support for these projects has strengthening the Foundation’s ability to reach children most in need.
Funding from The Childhood Trust has been pivotal in enabling Bloomsbury Football Foundation to deliver programmes for at-risk young people that would otherwise struggle to exist. Our support has helped expand initiatives for young refugees and children with disabilities, while providing essential resources that make sessions effective, inclusive, and truly accessible. This financial backing allows the Foundation to break down barriers to participation, reach more vulnerable groups, and create safe spaces where young people can benefit from physical activity, social connection, and improved mental wellbeing.
He’s found a home in Bloomsbury.
What children gain from taking part
Bloomsbury Football Foundation engages over 6,500 players aged 3-18-years every week. Attending football sessions boosts children’s overall wellbeing, with 91% reporting increased confidence and 84% of parents reporting improved physical health of their children.
The Foundation takes a proactive approach to their football sessions and strategy. All coaches are professionally trained to provide holistic support, going beyond a simple sports session. Manager of Westway Camp and U9s and U18s Lead Coach, Abdullah, shared one example of this:
“A few years ago, a young boy came to camp. He lacked self-confidence and had a bad relationship with food. It took time, but I built a rapport with him. We spoke about diet habits and food, but also about how to build confidence on the pitch.
Three years on and he’s now a goalkeeper in our Academy team. He’s found a home in Bloomsbury.”
This story is just a snapshot of the many lives improved by the work of coaches like Abdullah and the sessions provided by Bloomsbury Football Foundation.
Looking ahead: reaching more children as poverty rises
With a third of all children in London now growing up in poverty – and rates reaching 47% in some boroughs – Bloomsbury’s planned expansion is becoming increasingly vital, ensuring more children can access free, safe, and supportive spaces where they can thrive. By 2028, the Foundation aims to reach 20,000 young people every week across 15 London communities, with national expansion to follow. As part of this growth, they also plan to support 10,000 girls per week by 2028, widening access to football for those who too often miss out.
Football as a gateway to belonging
Belonging is a theme that comes up time and again for Bloomsbury’s coaches. We asked Coach Abdullah his thoughts on football and its unique ability to captivate:
“Football brings communities together. I go to a lot of community matches where everybody can play after a long day at school or work.
“As a society we have moved away from that community feel over the years. It’s important we have these third spaces where football is accessible and affordable, where parents can trust coaches and the players feel a sense of home and belonging.”
Part of the charity’s funding is used to upskill coaches so they can support children with a wide range of needs. This includes specialist training to enable support for children with special educational needs and for those who are blind or visually impaired.
Coaches also complete comprehensive safeguarding training, including how to recognise and respond appropriately to risks such as gang involvement, child sexual exploitation and abuse (including FGM), and grooming, helping them to provide safe, inclusive and supportive environments for every child.
By providing locations all across London, and sessions for children of all ages from different backgrounds, Bloomsbury Football Foundation fills this gap – creating third spaces for communities to build trust, safety and a sense of belonging for children facing exclusion and disadvantage.