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
Eve
Last Name
Hand
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
Woodmansterne School
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2026
Initiative Title
Multi sport community sports surface
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://www.woodmansterne.london/
Initiative Stage
Idea (You have a solid concept and are hoping to get started in the future)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
Provide accessible multi sports facility in Lambeth for community and educational use Streatham vale and surrounding area that call cater to a range of user groups (girls, disability groups, low income families)
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?
Woodmansterne stands out as a truly unique school within Lambeth, offering an exceptional all‑through education that supports students from their very first steps in Nursery right through to Year 13. This continuity creates a strong sense of community, belonging, and long‑term aspiration. Securing an 11‑a‑side 3G pitch would not only enhance the school’s provision but also deliver a powerful and lasting legacy for youth and adult participation in sport—an area where opportunities remain limited. With Lambeth currently having only one full‑size 3G pitch across the entire borough, investing in such a facility at Woodmansterne would significantly expand access, promote equality in sporting opportunities, and empowerment of all ages to develop confidence, leadership, and a lifelong love of physical activity. Currently the playing field is not fit for the intended purpose at present we are unable to host football or other sporting fixtures this requires us to travel out of the borough to play fixtures which is not cost effective for the school.
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?
Woodmansterne is uniquely placed within Lambeth as an all‑through school supporting children from Nursery to Year 13, creating continuity, belonging and long‑term aspiration. However, our current playing field is not fit for purpose, meaning we cannot host football or other fixtures and must travel out of the borough—an approach that limits opportunities and increases costs. With Lambeth having only one full‑size 3G pitch, the lack of accessible facilities is a significant barrier to participation. Our proposal to develop an 11‑a‑side 3G pitch directly addresses this challenge by transforming access to sport for both our students and the wider community. The pitch would provide reliable, year‑round space for high‑quality curriculum PE, including the introduction of new and emerging sports, and would create more opportunities for students to be active during break and lunch times. For primary pupils, it would support the expansion of OPAL play, encouraging inclusive, imaginative outdoor activity. The facility would allow us to host fixtures on‑site for the first time, and to run boroughwide competitions for both primary and secondary schools. Beyond the school day, the pitch would operate as a community hub, offering opportunities for youth teams, adult recreation, and local clubs who currently lack access to quality spaces. This vision relies on collaboration with landowners, Lambeth Council, and key local stakeholders, whose support in planning, permissions, and shared‑use agreements will be essential to creating long‑term impact. Our “aha” moment came when we realised that improving our own site could help solve a boroughwide problem. Developing a 3G pitch at Woodmansterne represents not just an improvement for the local community it will create a lasting legacy.
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 is rooted in meaningful collaboration with the young people and community members most affected by the shortage of quality sports spaces in Lambeth. From the outset, students have helped identify the barriers they face limited facilities, cancelled fixtures, and the need for more inclusive and inspiring environments for physical activity. Their input has directly shaped the vision for a 3G pitch that supports both competitive sport and everyday participation. We have engaged extensively with local community groups, who consistently highlight the lack of accessible, safe playing spaces. Their feedback has strengthened our commitment to making the pitch a true community hub, open beyond the school day and responsive to local needs. Partnerships play a major role in building this solution. Premier League Football Foundations at Crystal Palace and Fulham have committed to running community sessions on-site, providing high‑quality sporting opportunities for children, young people, and adults. Our ongoing collaboration with Football Beyond Borders will extend mentoring, coaching, and enrichment programmes that directly benefit students. We also have the support of the Football Foundation, reinforcing the project’s value and long‑term potential. In addition, neighbouring schools, who face the same challenges around access to play and sports space have joined us in backing this project. Their involvement ensures the pitch will benefit not only Woodmansterne, but young people across the borough. Together, these voices and partnerships ensure this project is built with the community, for the community; creating a shared solution that expands opportunity, strengthens belonging, and leaves a lasting legacy.
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?
Our initiative has the potential to make a transformative difference in unlocking access to sport and physical activity in Lambeth. With over 200 youth teams across the borough, most are currently forced to travel outside Lambeth simply to play fixtures due to the lack of suitable facilities. This creates financial, logistical, and participation barriers—particularly for families and clubs with limited resources. By developing a first‑class 3G pitch at Woodmansterne, we can remove many of these obstacles and provide a high‑quality, local space that supports regular, inclusive participation. The impact begins with our own students, who will finally have a reliable all‑weather pitch for curriculum PE, fixtures, and extended‑day activities. This will dramatically increase the time they spend being active and broaden the range of sports available to them. It will also enable us to deliver competitive sport on‑site for the first time, strengthening school identity, confidence, and aspiration. Beyond the school, the initiative has the potential to reshape access to sport boroughwide. A full‑size community‑accessible pitch would give youth teams, grassroots clubs, and local organisations a home base within Lambeth reducing travel, increasing participation, and ensuring children and young people can stay active closer to home. The pitch will also support adult recreation, disability sport, and inter‑school competitions, growing opportunities for all ages and abilities. While the project is not yet built, the support from community groups, local schools, and major partners demonstrates a clear need and strong belief in its future impact. We envision a facility that becomes a genuine community asset.
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 innovative because it reimagines a school sports facility as a boroughwide catalyst for change, not just an improvement to one site. Unlike traditional pitches that serve a single club or school, our 3G facility is designed as a multi‑purpose, all‑through, community‑integrated hub. It brings together education, community use, elite‑partner programmes, and grassroots sport under one shared vision. What sets our approach apart is the scale and depth of impact it can create. With over 200 youth teams in Lambeth forced to play outside the borough, our pitch directly removes barriers around travel, cost, and inconsistent facilities. This solution not only increases access, but increases it quickly, providing immediate capacity for thousands of young people who currently have nowhere local to train or play. The long‑term impact is even more powerful. The pitch will support curriculum PE, new and emerging sports, expanded OPAL play, school fixtures, community sessions delivered by Premier League foundations, and opportunities for local clubs to secure stable, high‑quality training space. Within its first year, the pitch could reasonably support 3,000+ young people, with capacity growing each year as partnerships deepen. Our design integrates education, community voice, and professional football foundations creating a model that is original, scalable, and capable of embedding long‑term change. This is not just a pitch; it is a sustainable and innovative solution that addresses inequality in access, transforms participation, and builds a healthier, more active Lambeth for generations.
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?
Our initiative is designed for long‑term success by combining imaginative use of school space with a sustainable operational model that benefits both Woodmansterne and the wider Lambeth community. By transforming an underused, unfit playing field into a high‑quality 3G pitch, we are addressing the root problem: a boroughwide shortage of accessible, modern sports facilities. This creates a structural shift in how schools and communities share space, moving from isolated provision to a collaborative, borough‑level asset. Operational sustainability is built into our approach. The pitch will be fully utilised during the school day for curriculum PE, fixtures, and active play, while evenings and weekends will be offered to community groups, grassroots clubs, and partner organisations. This mixed‑use model ensures continuous footfall and generates income that supports long‑term maintenance, staffing, and reinvestment. Scalability is embedded in our partnership network. With Premier League foundations, Football Beyond Borders, and neighbouring schools already committed, the pitch will serve as a central hub capable of supporting programmes for thousands of young people. Our model co‑designed with education, community, and professional partners can be replicated in other boroughs facing similar facility shortages. By reimagining school grounds as shared community infrastructure, we are shifting local norms, expanding access, and creating a sustainable blueprint for increasing participation in sport across Lambeth and beyond.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Our initiative is strengthened by clear roles and shared responsibility across our team and partners, ensuring both successful delivery and long‑term growth. Within the school, leadership oversees strategic planning, community engagement, and alignment with curriculum needs, while our PE team shapes the sporting vision, programming, and daily operational planning. This ensures the pitch meets the needs of students from Nursery to Year 13. Our partners play equally vital roles. Premier League foundations at Crystal Palace and Fulham will deliver high‑quality community sessions, expanding reach and ensuring the pitch is used to its full potential beyond the school day. Football Beyond Borders brings expertise in mentoring, youth engagement, and programme design, strengthening our offer for vulnerable and underrepresented young people. The Football Foundation provides strategic support, guidance, and credibility, helping ensure the project’s sustainability. To scale our impact, we are building strong collaboration with neighbouring schools who face similar access challenges. Their involvement ensures shared use, wider community benefit, and a united voice in shaping the future of local sport provision. Looking ahead, we plan to grow through sustained partnerships, community hire, and reinvestment into maintenance and future development. By aligning leadership, expert partners, and local schools, we have created a strong, practical pathway to sustain and expand our impact for years to come.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Our initiative is moving forward with strong momentum, supported by clear and achievable milestones that will bring the 3G pitch to life. The first major milestone has already been reached: the Football Foundation has confirmed its financial commitment, providing a solid foundation for the project and validating both the need and the impact the pitch will have on Lambeth. Our next key milestone is to secure the remaining £200,000–£300,000 required to begin construction. To achieve this, we are launching a GoFundMe campaign, enabling families, community members, local businesses, and partner organisations to contribute directly to a project that will transform access to sport for thousands. Alongside this, we are pursuing additional grant opportunities, cultivating partnerships, and engaging supporters across the borough. Once fundraising targets are met, we will move to the next milestones: finalising planning permissions, appointing contractors, and confirming community‑use agreements with our partners, including Premier League foundations and neighbouring schools. Construction will follow, with the goal of opening the pitch for both school and community use as quickly and sustainably as possible. These milestones form a clear pathway toward delivering a long‑lasting, high‑impact facility that will reshape sporting opportunities in Lambeth.
