Glad all over – how Palace for Life is boosting inclusive sport

Exciting times in south London as Croydon’s finest, Crystal Palace Football Club, bask in the double glory of lifting the FA Cup and the Community Shield for the first time in their history.

However, it’s not just on the pitch that the club is making an impact. Its official charity, Palace for Life Foundation, uses the power of the beautiful game to give marginalised young people the chance to get active, connect with others and build confidence.

As the charity’s head of fundraising and communications, Tash Stephens, explains, City Bridge Foundation funding has played a key role in helping it to deliver inclusive sport in the community.

Over 14 million people in the UK are disabled, but disabled adults are still twice as likely to be inactive as their non-disabled peers.

These gaps in opportunity, health, confidence and connection can, in turn, lead to mental health challenges and a feeling of isolation, something we have been working to address with the support of a £250,000 City Bridge Foundation grant.

Its support has helped us reach more young people than ever, especially girls and those with disabilities, who often face the biggest barriers to getting active.

In the first 18 months of our three-year grant, we’ve been able to deliver sport in 12 local SEND schools and run new holiday respite camps, giving 730 disabled young people safe, structured spaces to move, play and be part of something.

On top of inactivity, research also shows that most people with learning disabilities want to work, but fewer than two in 10 have a job.

This prompted us to launch a dedicated employability cohort, called DS GAME ON, designed specifically for young people with Down’s Syndrome, blending sport with life skills to support their journey into the world of work.

One of the stand out moments of the year came when our DS Eagles recorded a cover of the iconic Crystal Palace walk-out song ​‘Glad All Over’ which was played on BBC Radio London the day before the club’s FA Cup triumph at Wembley.

The impact has been just as powerful in our girls’ programmes. Following the Lionesses’ Euro 2022 victory, interest in girls’ football surged nationwide, and we were ready.

With support from the City Bridge Foundation, we delivered new sessions, events and training opportunities that led to a 115 per cent increase in female attendance at our Player Development Centres – structured, weekly football sessions that offer pathways into the Crystal Palace Women Academy or other local grassroots teams.

Meanwhile, our Changemakers programme gave 10 young women the chance to explore their voice and build leadership skills through sport while our girls-only tournaments brought together hundreds of participants in a supportive, celebratory atmosphere, helping shift the culture around who belongs in sport – all supported by Crystal Palace Women, who took time out from their debut season in the Women’s Super League to join them.

Behind the scenes, the City Bridge Foundation funding helped us grow the team that makes this all possible — from programme leads to fundraisers to disability sport specialists. Their work has strengthened relationships with schools, secured further funding, and ensured every session delivers the impact on the young people we directly support,

We’re so thankful for the support of the foundation over the past 18 months – the way we have been able to expand our projects that we know have a direct impact on the people we’re working with is invaluable.