Solidarity Sports
Helping traumatised children to have a better childhood
Solidarity Sports works with more than 100 children in West London, most of whom have been referred by children’s services. Jasmine, Fundraising Coordinator at Solidarity Sports, explains, “These are children who have often been stripped of their childhood. They’ve gone through unimaginable things. We’ve had children who have experienced neglect and sexual abuse, who have fled war-torn countries, who have parents who are in prison, or who were born into homelessness.
“They’ve sometimes grown up in an environment where they’ve been completely ignored. They’ve not been taught about love or given any praise or encouragement, so they then develop this belief that they’re not really worthy of love, or that they’re not good enough, they’re not smart enough, they’re not bright enough. As a result, these children are very insecure and have very low self-worth and low self-esteem.”
Giving children a childhood
The majority of Solidarity Sports’ work is during the school holidays, when children are most at risk of neglect or abuse. The charity runs four activities a day, such as basketball, drama, art and gardening. It also organises trips to places that the children would otherwise be financially excluded from.
Jasmine says, “We give them a space where they can just simply be kids again. They can discover the joy of throwing a ball or painting a picture – the simple things that most people don’t think twice about. It’s about giving them a space to heal, to grow, to discover their passions and to not worry for a while about whether there’s food at home or where they’re going to live in six months’ time.”
Many of the children are on the verge of being taken into care or have already entered the care system. Solidarity Sports’ staff are all trauma-informed and aim to build long-term, positive relationships with the children – offering them a sense of stability. One-to-one mentoring is available throughout the year for those children who are most at risk. The charity also runs after-school programmes and works with grandparent carers and parents of younger children, to offer support and early intervention when needed.
Impact
While Solidarity Sports can’t fix all the difficulties that the children are dealing with, it can still make a significant impact on their lives. Many of the children attend for several years, during which time they are often able to rebuild their confidence and self-esteem, and to develop aspirations for their future. As one child, aged 12, says, “Solidarity Sports has changed my life. You have helped me so much and my mum likes you too. When I have a problem in my life, you guys are the first people I think of. You make my little sister happy too.”
Jasmine shares the story of one of Solidarity Sports’ former service users: “She’s grown up in a two-bedroom flat, heavily infested with mould, with five younger brothers, so she never had privacy. On top of that, her mum has very severe mental health issues, and her father is really ill with cancer.
“I take 30 children on a residential trip every year and she never wanted to do the zip line or rock climbing or participate in anything. She wanted to sit by the beach, read in peace and have a moment to just breathe.”
The girl attended Solidarity Sports programmes for several years, where she was encouraged to study, aim high and aspire to a better life. She set her sights on a career in law after speaking to one of Solidarity Sports’ employees. After working incredibly hard at school, she achieved two A*s and an A in her A Levels and is now studying law at university. Without Solidarity Sports’ intervention, encouragement and belief, it’s unlikely that she would have found the strength to achieve all that she has.
The teenager above is far from the only child who has been encouraged to aim high by Solidarity Sports. The charity supports children to improve their grades and stay in school. It also arranges scholarships to private schools and boarding schools for some of the most talented children.
Under-fives
Solidarity Sports has a programme for under-fives, most of whom are witnessing domestic abuse at home or who are refugees or asylum seekers living in overcrowded accommodation with no recourse to public funds. The children attend the centre with their parents. Jasmine says, “If a woman has gone through years of abuse, she will often become very isolated and lonely. Some of the women have endured such trauma that they can’t create a bond with their child; they’re very disconnected. We provide an environment where parents and children have the opportunity to bond.”
Earlier this year, we provided Solidarity Sports with a £5,000 grant to cover the cost of new specialist toys and equipment for the under-fives programme and to help cover some of the charity’s expenses. Jasmine shares, “The children’s development is often severely delayed. We use specialist toys to help with their fine motor skills and other needs.”
Our Christmas card
Every year, HUC commissions a local person or group to design our Christmas card. This year, children from Solidarity Sports took on the challenge, with wonderful designs created by all age groups.
Jasmine shares, “We told the children, ‘This is a competition. One child will design a Christmas card that’s going to go out across London.’ The children really enjoyed it and got very competitive! There’s a feeling we’re constantly trying to create for the children, the feeling of being valued and cared for and listened to.”
We received some fantastic artwork from the children, so it was very difficult to narrow it down to one design. In the end, we chose the below pictures. One of the artists, who is just eight years old, said, “Find joy in the little things – they make life beautiful.”
We’d like to thank all the children who took part for their creativity and for bringing so much warmth and joy to this year’s card. And we would like to thank the Solidarity Sports team for helping make the project such a success.
Get involved
Donate
Solidarity Sports is taking part in the Big Give campaign. If you make a donation here by Tuesday 9th December, it will be match funded. So if you give £5, the charity will receive £20. Solidarity Sports is aiming to raise £100,000 to support more than two hundred families this winter.
Volunteer
Solidarity Sports relies on a large team of volunteers to support the children on trips and help with activities. One volunteer, Emily, shared, “I’m constantly inspired by the children and the amazing people I’ve met through this journey.”
If you want to join the team, call or message Joanna on 07455 906418 to find out more.
Corporate partnerships
Solidarity Sports can offer team-building volunteering days and is also keen to hear from businesses that are looking for a new Charity of the Year to support.
Food bank and lunch club
Guy is a retired solicitor who has lived in Hammersmith for over 40 years. As well as having a long legal career, Guy has decades of experience in the not-for-profit sector. He was a school governor for 35 years and spent several years volunteering as Chair of the Finance Committee at Hammersmith & Fulham Law Centre. If you recognise Guy, that’s probably because he also served as a local councillor for Hammersmith & Fulham.
“We recently represented a migrant woman who was trafficked to the UK by a wealthy family. She was forced to work extremely long hours as a nanny, housekeeper and cleaner. She didn’t receive anywhere near the minimum wage, and the family had control of her passport and bank account.”