In major landmark agreement, Mayor announces VRU to team up with capital’s football clubs to show London is united in commitment to tackle violence

• Violence Reduction Unit and the 17 community foundations of all London’s professional football clubs join forces to boost drive to continue decline in violence
• New report shows London football club foundations invested £7.84m in 2023/24, delivering prevention and early intervention in almost all London boroughs, keeping 30,000 children safe and supported to thrive
• Sadiq announces further £6m in targeted and localised prevention programmes to build on the progress of London’s VRU, with homicides in the capital at lowest levels since monthly records began

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced his Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is partnering with the community foundations of all 17 of London’s professional football clubs in a major boost to tackling violence and exploitation.

London’s VRU has teamed up with London United, formed of the Club Community Organisations (CCO) of all London clubs, including all of the capital’s Premier League clubs in Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Tottenham and West Ham.

The Mayor made the announcement at an event at Wembley Stadium. The partnership features a commitment between the VRU and the capital’s CCOs to work together during a targeted ‘week of opportunity’ for young people every summer. Sadiq also announced his VRU is investing £6 million in targeted and localised prevention programmes – some of which football club community organisations already help to deliver.   

This new partnership brings together London United who use the power of football and pull of some of the biggest clubs in the world, to engage with young people and deliver social impact in communities across the capital, and the VRU, with its city-wide prevention and early intervention approach and delivery of more than 450,000 positive opportunities for young people.

It combines the VRU’s experience in coordinating prevention and its work in partnership, which this year has led to the lowest number of homicides in London since monthly records began in 2003. London’s homicide rate is lower than other major international cities such as Paris, Brussels, Berlin, and Madrid.

There have been almost 10,000 fewer violence with injury offences recorded in the 12 months to September, and hospital admissions of under-25s for knife assault have fallen by 41 per cent since Sadiq set up the VRU in 2019.

Whilst London’s football clubs might be rivals on the pitch, London United joined forces off the pitch more than 11 years ago, recognising the strength of working in unison to support communities by providing safe spaces, youth work and activities for thousands of children and young people. It uses an extensive infrastructure and capacity, plus four decades of frontline experience, to respond to some of the biggest challenges across London.

To support the partnership, a London United report, Keeping Young Londoners Safe, shows the breadth of prevention and youth safety work delivered by CCOs. Latest data shows that in 2023/24, almost £8m was invested by football club trusts in diversionary activities, targeted prevention and youth safety sessions. Collectively, the 16 trusts delivered 100 projects across 31 London boroughs, supporting more than 30,000 children and young people.

Alongside leveraging funding from the likes of the Premier League and the English Football League (EFL), London United foundations have been supported with funding from the VRU to deliver the likes of youth workers in custody suites, after-school diversionary activities, and the award-winning, community-led, MyEnds programme.

In a boost to this partnership, the Mayor today announced that his VRU is to invest a further £6m in its neighbourhood-focused interventions to tackle violence and to keep young people safe. This includes £3.6m to extend delivery of the MyEnds programme in nine neighbourhoods for a further year, and £2.4m in its Stronger Futures programme, delivering safe spaces and a range of activities in the crucial after-school period and school holidays.

Whilst these programmes and investment are primarily delivered by a range of youth and community organisations in London, five London football clubs will continue to work with consortiums in neighbourhoods across the capital to deliver MyEnds, whilst other clubs have previously benefited from the after-school Stronger Futures programme and will have opportunity to bid for funding again later this year.

Through this new partnership for London, the VRU wants to shine a light on the access to facilities, spaces and quality youth work provision delivered in nearly every London borough by club community organisations, using the power of football to create a sense of belonging.

This will culminate in the VRU and London United coming together during the summer holidays every year to deliver a targeted week of opportunity for young people. Community foundations will open their facilities, youth clubs and hubs, to provide a range of activities beyond football, which includes mentoring, music production, employability programmes and more.

The Mayor was joined today at Wembley by VRU Director, Lib Peck, club ambassadors and legends like Alan Smith, Carlton Cole and Mark Bright.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m committed to building a safer London for young people by putting them front and centre and ensuring we are providing investment, support and opportunities for those who need it most.

“Our approach is showing signs of progress, with record  reductions in homicides, knife crime and violence with injury in London. But it’s clear we need to do more and that’s why I’m pleased to announce a new landmark partnership between the community foundations of London’s 17 football clubs, and my VRU.

“Working together, harnessing the power of football and the unrivalled role clubs and foundations play in uniting our diverse communities, fostering identity, pride and a sense of belonging, means this partnership could be a gamechanger in our efforts to keep young people safe and supported to thrive.”   

Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said: “The strength of prevention and its contribution to the progress we’re seeing in driving down violence in London is firmly built on a foundation of partnership.

“There is no one single approach, organisation or institution capable or responsible for tackling the complex causes of violence alone, and that’s why we have made working with young people, local authorities, community organisations and others, the core of everything we do.

“The partnership with London United builds on this approach and recognises not only how important football is as a hook to engage young people, but how it enables a range of targeted youth safety and prevention work delivered all year round by foundations. We are looking forward to working with all 16 community foundations on a shared objective to tackle violence and provide positive opportunities for thousands of young Londoners. 

Chair of London United, Freddie Hudson, said: “Our longstanding contributions to help keep young Londoners safe is well known and trusted within our local boroughs. The Keeping Londoners Safe report by Substance has helped to shine a light on and elevate our youth safety work. The compelling data speaks for itself but it’s our unique ability to engage, work in partnership and London wide reach that provides a network able to deliver important protective factors and outcomes for young people.      

“We welcome a partnership with the Mayor of London’s VRU which is a significant strategic step for London United. Together we aim to continue our shared ambition and commitment to young people in London and their safety.”   

Mark Bright, ambassador for Crystal Palace, said: “As a patron of Palace for Life Foundation, I’ve seen first-hand the work they do in providing opportunities for young people in south London, especially those from the most difficult backgrounds.

“This work is replicated across the capital, and it’s brilliant to see every London club working together as London United and teaming up with the Mayor and his Violence Reduction Unit, to make even bigger impact on the lives of young Londoners.”

Premier League Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer, Clare Sumner, said: “The Premier League provides inspiration and opportunity through the power of football across London, and we are delighted to see the capital’s club charities further expand their work to reduce violence through this important partnership with the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit.

“Premier League investment in London United and the club charities enables them to deliver a range of programmes, including Premier League Kicks – which will play a key role in this initiative. Launched with the Metropolitan Police in 2006, Premier League Kicks gives young people real opportunities and promotes social cohesion and safer streets for everyone. The programme has gone from strength to strength in London and is now delivered nationwide through 93 clubs working with 40 police forces, reaching 600,000 young people.”

Khalil, who is 15, said: “The mentoring sessions with Brentford have taught me about taking accountability for my actions. My mentor, Shaun, has helped me to reflect on my mistakes and where I have made the wrong choice in the past and this has given me the opportunity to make a positive change which I am thankful for.”