Burgess Sports believes that every child deserves a great start in life. Yet many children in the communities we serve face significant disadvantage. The area surrounding our work falls within the top 10% most deprived in England, where children are more likely to experience poorer health, lower educational attainment and reduced long-term economic opportunities. Rising living costs and food insecurity have further intensified these challenges for local families.

Our work focuses on supporting both children and the families around them, recognising that strong support networks are essential to positive outcomes. By taking a holistic approach, we address the multiple and interconnected barriers that families in our community face, helping children to thrive socially, physically and emotionally.

We provide year-round opportunities for children to learn, grow and have fun in safe and inclusive environments. During school holidays, we deliver free multi-sports camps for up to 200 children per day, offering structured activity, confidence-building opportunities and a healthy daily meal. For families not attending camps, we run additional holiday activities including craft sessions and local trips. Alongside this, our after-school and literacy programme support children from primary through to secondary age throughout the academic year. Each year, we reach over 700 unique participants through more than 6,000 attendances.

Developing young people is a key priority. Through our Ambassador Programme, 90 local teenagers have progressed from participants into leadership, volunteering and paid roles, gaining employability skills while supporting programme delivery.

Supporting parents is equally central to our work. We deliver parenting workshops on topics such as behaviour management and special educational needs, alongside our Kids in the Kitchen programme, which brings families together to cook healthy, affordable meals and build lasting community connections. Together, our programmes strengthen families, build resilience and give children a stronger start in life.