This is my final trustees blog for Sport4 Life, the last time Tom, their CEO will have to chase me down to get it completed.
Sport4Life was my first trustee gig, and I don’t think there could have been an easier or more rewarding volunteer opportunity over that time.
As a charity they have gone from strength to strength, increasing their impact on an annual basis and making a genuine difference to young people’s lives in and around Birmingham. They’ve moved offices, pivoted in a pandemic, broke the one million turnover mark, made it on the BBC news on various occasions, become one of the most effective delivery agents for National Citizen Service (NCS) and delivered successful projects for a multitude and variety of funders, from those we know (Sport Relief, Children in Need) to those we don’t
Most importantly, and their golden thread and Northern Star that has kept them going, is an insatiable desire to do right by young people, and often those young people, who for whatever reason, traditional institutions might have given up on.
Over the years it must have been 24 board meeting and at least six away days, one 10-year anniversary and a handful of Christmas parties, but the highlight, the bits you will always remember were the times we spent time in and around the projects, talking to the young people and watching the magic happen. And even though the annual Impact Reports talks off 1000s of young people’s lives positively impacted I think my enduring memory will be when I was part of a mock interview panel for a young person, at first playing the role of a ‘stern interviewer’ and then providing feedback and advice as to what they might want to think about and do differently in the future. Some many young people just want a job, they just need someone to believe in them the way that Sport 4 Life does.
Best of Luck to the Board and the Charity over the coming years, I’m sure the next chapter will be as rewarding as the last one has been.
