Children in Islington will have the chance to receive training in sports like fencing and tennis thanks to sporting organisation Pro Touch SA (PTSA).
PTSA have received extra funding to widen their work in Islington and set up two new projects. They aim to make sports not usually associated with inner city areas available to children from all backgrounds. A project on Market Road every Sunday morning, which has received funding from the Cripplegate Foundation and Islington Council, gives boys and girls aged 10-11 the chance to learn about a variety of sports.
Most of the sessions run by PTSA are completely free and the organisation’s chief executive Ash Rahman said that “if it was not for the funding we would have to charge parents. £2 a session might not sound a lot to you or me but it adds up if you have more than one child.”
“Most children are only doing one hour of PE and there are lots of chicken and chip shops open in Islington so I don’t blame parents for their kids not getting enough exercise.”
Sessions are also run for children aged 5-9 years old during term time at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School on Friday afternoons. Another project, known as Islington Wildcats, is aimed at getting girls engaged in sport and takes place on Sunday mornings in Whittington Park.
All the sessions are free, excluding Friday at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson for boys who pay £3 per session. Every session originally cost £3 but thanks to the funding, PTSA are now able to waive the majority of fees. The funding has also been instrumental in allowing PTSA to plan two more projects in the next few months. One of the projects is set to be a multi-sport event in a park opposite Market Road and another is planned to be centred on cycling.
PTSA tweeted that “everyone associated with Pro Touch SA are extremely grateful for the funding. We look forward to building a stronger relationship with local children, young people and families”. The organisation have worked with young people across nine different boroughs since February 2006.
The Cripplegate Foundation is a grant maker that focuses on addressing poverty and inequality in Islington. They said: “We are delighted to be able to support this work alongside Islington Council through the council’s Community Chest.”
