SHP Sport Health Arlington 2020

London Housing Foundation has awarded SHP £61,000 over two years to help support the expansion of their successful Sport and Health Project.

The original project, funded through the National Lottery funded Sport England Active Ageing Initiative, has run for three years and worked with a section of the population that mainstream sporting and physical activity services have traditionally struggled to reach.

Department Head of Health & Sport, Eloise Moller said:

We found that, by introducing physical activity into the daily lives of those experiencing homelessness, we were able to improve stress, anxiety and depression levels by 76% and overall quality of life by 62%. The Programme has engaged over 600 clients, partnered with over 30 organisations and worked with 130 volunteers.

The two year extension, with funding from Sport England and LHF will support the internal expansion of the Project across all SHP adult services and grow an external network through strategic partnerships, information sharing and mentorship opportunities, supporting the integration of Sport & Health programmes in organisations within the homeless sector.

Additionally the Project will be evaluated and used to create awareness around the value of sport and physical activity in tackling homelessness, advocating for the inclusion of sport and physical activity as part of key homelessness provisions.

Bernard is an SHP Client. He said:

The exercises make me feel good… They give me inspiration and they give me confidence to face the world again.

Ian Brady, the Executive Chair of London Housing Foundation said:

We first became aware of this excellent project when they applied for the London Homelessness Awards and made the shortlist.  We are really pleased to be able to partner with them and help with funding to ensure this successful scheme can continue and grow.

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For more information about Single Homeless Project’s Sport and Health project go to https://www.shp.org.uk/pages/category/sports-health-project.

To find out more about LHF and the programmes we run, please go to www.lhf.org.uk

LHF work with HOPE worldwide to help homeless people into accommodation