My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered UK entity and has a London-based address.
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), evidence of access to a lease for the space you are leveraging, and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions.
Yes
First Name
Demi
Last Name
Brown
Pronouns
She/Her
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
1
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
No
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
No
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Lead Organisation Name
LONG LANE JFC
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
1997
Initiative Title
The Long Lane Girls Hub
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://www.longlanejfc.co.uk/
Initiative Stage
Pilot-Stage (The first activities have happened, and you have proof of concept)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
A female-focused community sports hub to retain girls aged 11–17 in sport.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
This project is deeply personal. As a former Long Lane player, I know the confidence and resilience that growing up on these pitches can give. But I also saw talented girls drop out as they hit their teenage years, as safe spaces felt less welcoming and navigating adolescence the barriers grew. Returning now, I see the same spark in 11–17-year-olds and the same challenges. I am determined to ensure the “Long Lane spirit” evolves to meet the needs of today’s girls, giving them a club they never feel they have to outgrow, a safe place to educate and empower.
Your approach: How are you/ will you addressing the problem outlined above? How does your solution unlock or reimagine access to spaces for sport and physical activity? What role do landowners, local authorities, or other decision-making stakeholders play in your approach? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
We are tackling the dropout of girls aged 11–17 by transforming Long Lane JFC into a female-focused, inclusive hub where girls can continue playing, build confidence and develop leadership skills. The “aha” moment came from seeing talented girls quietly leave the sport as teenagers because the spaces they loved no longer motivated or supported them. By creating female-only sessions, mentorship programmes and family-friendly activities, we are reimagining how community sports spaces support participation. Local authorities and landowners play a key role, helping us adapt facilities to be safe, accessible and sustainable for the community. To add to the "aha" moment.. I am a keen advocate for women's health and sports I believe the two can coexists and would love to educate and empower young girls so they feel well informed and confident when developing on and off the pitch. This is something I believe would of been of great benefit to a younger me.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
Our initiative puts young people at the centre, using focus groups and trial sessions to shape football, boxing and mentorship/wellbeing programmes. Girls aged 11–17, along with parents and local volunteers, help co-design activities and safe, inclusive spaces. By involving those closest to the problem, we ensure the hub meets real needs and encourages sustained participation.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in unlocking spaces for and access to physical activity and sport so far? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had , and or what impact do you envision having in the future?
By redesigning facilities and offering female-focused programmes, we remove barriers like lack of safe spaces, childcare, and confidence issues. Although still in early stages, pilot phase is underway and parent focus groups took place August 2025, we have already shown increased engagement from teenage girls who might otherwise drop out, encouraging our senior ladies to mentor/support the younger girls. In the future, we envision a sustained rise in female retention in sport, the development of young female leaders and a thriving community hub where families of all ages feel welcome to participate in physical activity.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
Our initiative is unique because it combines female-focused retention with a family-friendly, multi-sport hub. By offering mentorship, female-only sessions and co-designed programmes, we tackle the specific barriers teenage girls face while keeping families active. This holistic approach reimagines traditional club spaces into inclusive hubs where girls stay in sport and the community participates together.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your initiative up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
We’re setting our initiative up for success through community engagement, co-designed programmes, and upgraded facilities that meet the needs of girls and families. Sustainability will be supported by memberships, school partnerships, volunteers and local sponsorship. To scale, we plan to document our model and impact, creating a blueprint to replicate female-focused, family-friendly hubs at other clubs locally and beyond.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Our initiative is delivered through a collaborative team approach. I lead strategy, programme design and community engagement. While coaches and volunteers run football, boxing, fitness and wellbeing sessions. Senior players act as mentors to younger girls, supported by in-class workshops and specialist sessions from external organisations such as Playbook Project. Parents and community members help with supervision and events, and local partners provide guidance on facility improvements. This shared responsibility ensures the initiative is inclusive, well-managed, and sustainable.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Community Consultation & Co-Design (Months 1–2): Run focus groups and surveys with girls, parents, and local stakeholders to refine programme design and identify facility needs. (This is currently in motion). Facility Upgrades & Space Reconfiguration (Months 2–4): Improve changing rooms, gym/boxing areas, and create a dedicated “Long Lane Girls Hub” to ensure safe, inclusive spaces. (We are currently trying to raise funds to repair our conference room which would ideally be where the girls hub would be based). Programme Launch (Month 4): Begin football, boxing, fitness and wellbeing sessions, including mentorship pairing of senior players with younger girls and in-class workshops. (team bonding activities, match day support from senior to younger players and mixed training session for the 16 & 17 year olds) External Partnerships (Month 5): Integrate specialist sessions from organisations like Playbook Project to enhance skills, confidence and leadership. (Encouraging those who may be at risk of dropping out of the sport or in need or extra motivation). Monitoring & Evaluation (Ongoing): Track attendance, engagement and retention, using feedback to adjust programmes and ensure impact. (Each session will be tracked, attendance, objectives and outcomes of sessions followed by participants feedback) Scaling & Expansion (Months 10–12): Document the model and explore replication at other local clubs to broaden reach and impact.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details.
As the Project Lead and a volunteer, I would need support to cover the costs of taking a sabbatical from my safeguarding role to participate in the 8-week capacity-building programme, which I have estimated at £4,180. Additional funding would be needed to cover travel expenses, covering these costs would enable my full participation and ensure I can lead the initiative effectively.
