Mayor announces further £1.5m investment into London to deliver measures to keep young people safe this summer

• London’s Violence Reduction Unit partners with Premier League Foundation and London football clubs to expand vital diversionary scheme
• 11 football club charities to deliver additional sport, mentoring and employability projects through the Premier League Kicks programme 
• New funding expands on Sadiq’s £100m investment in young people 
• Mayor’s holiday provision for young people boosted by targeted activities to keep young people safe and provided with access to food
• The VRU has now delivered activities and interventions for more than half a million young Londoners
• Hospital admissions of young people for knife assault down by more than 50 per cent since the VRU was set up 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced an almost £1.5m additional funding boost through his Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to deliver hundreds of diversionary activities aimed at keeping young people safe over the summer.

Building on the VRU and London United partnership announced by the Mayor last October, the new Premier League Kicks partnership work will continue to create vital safe spaces and provide targeted support for young Londoners. Delivery during the summer is crucial, as evidence shows young people are more vulnerable to exploitation and violence during this period. That is why the Mayor has prioritised investing in young people, ensuring they have access to food and to activities and support to keep them safe in the holidays.

This new announcement marks a significant expansion of London’s youth safety plans for the summer holidays, with a new year-long partnership between London’s Violence Reduction Unit, the Premier League and 11 professional London football club charities.

Working in partnership, the reach of professional football clubs will be used 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 will be backed by almost £700,000 investment from across the VRU, the Premier League via the Premier League Foundation, and London United, which represents the charities of all professional football clubs in the capital. They 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.

The new £1.5m funding expands on Sadiq’s £100m investment in young people and his commitment to a public health approach to tackling violence in London. 

The evidence shows this approach, which centres on prevention and early intervention, is working with ONS figures showing a 15 per cent drop in knife crime in the last 12 months. The Mayor’s VRU, the first in England and Wales, has delivered diversionary activities and interventions for more than half a million young people and has played a key role in violence reducing in London. Hospital admissions of young people for knife assault down by more than 50 per cent since it was established in 2019.

The Premier League Kicks programme strengthens activities and access to food through the Mayor’s Holiday Hope programme, delivered by the VRU, Mayor’s Fund for London, The Felix Project and wider City Hall delivery.

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. 

Today, the Mayor and VRU director, Lib Peck, visited the Tottenham Hotspur training centre to launch the city-wide partnership. The visit coincided with the annual Godwin Lawson memorial tournament, which brought hundreds of young people together. Each year, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation partners with the Godwin Lawson Foundation, which was established in 2012 following Godwin’s tragic fatal stabbing in 2010. The tournament stands as a powerful testament to how sport, opportunity, and community collaboration can unite to tackle violence.

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 builds on the £100m investment in young Londoners and is a vital component of our wider 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.”

Clare Sumner CBE, Premier League Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer, said: 

“The Premier League has a long-standing commitment to working with violence reduction units and local police forces to create positive opportunities for young people in communities across the country. We are delighted to build on this partnership in London with the support of the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit, expanding our reach to provide even more support and positive interventions for those who need it most.”

Alex White, Premier League Foundation Chief Executive, said:  

“We are delighted to be partnering with the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit to expand the reach of Premier League Kicks across the capital. This investment will create more opportunities for young people to access safe spaces, trusted mentors and positive activities in their communities. We know that when young people feel connected, supported and empowered, they are more likely to thrive. By bringing together the power of football with the expertise of the VRU and local partners, we can strengthen community safety, improve outcomes for young people and help ensure more young Londoners have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

Freddie Hudson, Chair of London United, said: 

“London’s football club charities have a unique ability to reach young people, build trust, provide safe spaces and opportunities within their local communities. By working together as one team through London United, we can pool our expertise and deliver an even greater impact.

Thanks to the investment from the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit and the Premier League Foundation, we will reach more young Londoners over the next year with new opportunities to forge positive relationships, learn vital life-skills and provide extra help where needed.” 

Yvonne Lawson of 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.”