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
Liam
Last Name
Clipsham
Pronouns
He/Him
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
The Big Green Social Action Hub CIC
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2024
Initiative Title
The 'Sensory Sports Bowl'
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://www.facebook.com/wembleycentralbl/
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
The Big Green Hub and Wembley Manor School propose to reimagine a disused Bowls Green as 'The Sensory Sports Bowl,' a secure, sensory-friendly multi-sports zone designed to provide inclusive after-school physical activity for neurodiverse students and a safe respite space for the wider community.
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?
Currently, neurodiverse young people in Wembley, particularly students at Wembley Manor School (specialists in Autism and Complex Needs), face systemic exclusion from mainstream sports facilities. Public parks and leisure centres are often 'high sensory' environments—crowded, noisy, and unpredictable—triggering anxiety instead of encouraging play. Crucially, the lack of secure perimeters in open parks presents a severe safety risk for children with limited danger awareness who may abscond. Consequently, these students are often housebound after school, denying them physical development and their families vital respite. Simultaneously, The Big Green Hub sits on a former Bowls Green in King Edward VII Park. While we possess a 'solid building and wonderful green space', it is currently an underutilised asset, lying dormant during the critical 3:30–5:30 PM window. Without specific capital investment—specifically secure fencing and sensory zoning—it remains unsafe for this vulnerable cohort to use. The primary beneficiaries are the 50+ Wembley Manor students who will gain a dedicated, secure 'Sensory Sports Bowl' for daily activity. Secondary beneficiaries are their families, gaining trusted respite and a safe space for 'whole family' weekend play where siblings can interact without risk. We are intimately close to this community. The Big Green Hub is a resident-led initiative, and this bid is founded on a formal partnership with Wembley Manor School. We are adopting a 'Nothing About Us Without Us' approach: students are co-designing the space through 'Design Your Dream Green' workshops to select equipment, and parents are stress-testing our security plans. We serve as the bridge between a dormant local asset and the families who most need.
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 will physically transform our site to address exclusion. Specifically, we will install a 1.8m secure 'soft' perimeter (essential for ASD safety), resurface the green with porous rubberised tracks for wheelchair accessibility, and landscape three distinct zones: High Energy (team sports), Sensory Motor (vestibular balance equipment), and a Calm-Down Corner (nature respite). Operationally, we will ring-fence the 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM window exclusively for Wembley Manor students, ensuring a structured, safe transition from school to sport. We are reimagining a facility historically designed for exclusion. A Bowls Green is traditionally a space of silence, strict etiquette, and adult-only access—a 'look but don't touch' environment. We are flipping this script. By removing the barriers of 'escape risk' (via fencing) and sensory overload (via zoning), we are unlocking this space for those who need it most. We are turning a legacy of the past into a 'Sensory Sports Bowl' where noise, movement, and 'stimming' are not just tolerated, but encouraged. We operate on Council-owned land (King Edward VII Park). We are tasked with securing the funding which is vital to upgrade the infrastructure without burdening the public purse. Crucially, Wembley Manor School has moved from 'supporter' to 'decision-maker'. Their Senior Leadership Team now sits on our steering group, ensuring every design choice—from the colour of the fencing to the texture of the flooring—is signed off by SEN experts. Our moment came at 3:30 PM on a Tuesday. We looked at the locked dis-used bowling green. Metres away in the public park, a parent struggled to keep their autistic child safe in a busy, unfenced area, eventually giving up and going home. We needed to take action and to reopen this space.
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?
We operate on a fundamental principle: the students of Wembley Manor are not passive recipients of this facility; they are its lead architects. We recognise that neurodiverse young people often communicate differently, so standard consultation surveys are ineffective. Instead, we are running 'Design Your Dream Green' workshops within the school using LEGO Serious Play and visual aids. Students physically model the zones they want—deciding where the 'High Energy' basketball hoop sits in relation to the 'Calm-Down' sensory planting. Our most critical engagement phase involves students acting as 'Sensory Testers'. Before any permanent surface is laid, students visit the site to touch materials and review colour palettes. Their sensory processing differences mean they can identify triggers that neurotypical designers miss—such as avoiding specific bright colours that signal 'danger' or rejecting textures that feel abrasive. If the students reject a material, we do not buy it. This ensures the space is built around their sensory reality, not imposed upon it. For parents of SEN children, the barrier to access is often fear regarding safety. We engage them directly as our 'Security Consultants'. Through 'Stay & Play' stress-test events, parents inspect the perimeter fencing and trial our 'Green Pass' digital check-in system. Their feedback directly refines our operational safety protocols. Finally, we integrate the wider community through our 'Sports Buddies' scheme. We recruit volunteers from our existing 'Older People’s' subgroup to facilitate low-impact games like Boccia. This active participation transforms the project from a simple facility upgrade into an intergenerational bridge, where a 70-year-old resident helps a 10-year-old autistic student build confidence
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?
Gemini said Currently, our Green sits empty after school. By installing the secure perimeter, we immediately unlock this asset for 50+ Wembley Manor students who currently have zero access to safe outdoor sports. We project delivering 2,500+ hours of physical activity in Year 1. This is not just 'access'; for these families, it is the difference between a child spending their afternoon isolated on a screen versus running in the open air. The impact extends beyond the school gate into the family home. For neurodiverse youth, physical exertion is a critical tool for emotional regulation. We aim for a 'Deep Impact' where 80% of participating parents report improved sleep patterns and reduced anxiety-related behaviours in their children. We are providing the 'physical release' that makes the rest of the 24 hours manageable for the whole family. We are creating a blueprint for the 100+ underused Bowls Greens across London. We will prove that these spaces—often viewed as liabilities by Councils—are actually the perfect architectural footprint for SEN provision (flat, enclosed, quiet). We are not just fixing one green; we are piloting a model for reclaiming public space for the most marginalised. To measure success, we don't just count heads; we measure confidence. Using the 'Wembley Manor Engagement Scale', we will track the journey of a student who starts by sitting in the 'Calm-Down Corner' and, over six months, graduates to leading a cricket game. This data will provide the 'evidence of scale' needed to secure long-term commissioning from the Local Authority.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
Our innovation lies in the complete inversion of a traditional space. A Bowls Green is historically designed for silence, strict etiquette, and exclusive adult use—a 'look but don't touch' environment. We are flipping this script entirely. We are transforming a space designed for the quiet elite into a 'Sensory Sports Bowl' for the noisy, energetic, and marginalised. While most local parks attempt inclusion by simply adding a wheelchair ramp to a standard playground, we are redesigning the very landscape of sport around the sensory reality of neurodiversity. We are applying therapeutic principles to landscape design. Standard open-plan parks are terrifying for parents of children with no danger awareness. Our innovation is the 'Secure Soft' perimeter and 'Sensory Zoning'. We are creating a facility where the architecture itself acts as a 'second teacher'—using specific textures to soothe and distinct zones to regulate energy levels. This is not just a sports pitch; it is an outdoor sensory integration room. Our design process challenges the norm of 'consultation'. Standard surveys do not work for non-verbal students. We are innovating by using 'Sensory Testing' as a veto power. Students physically touch surface samples and review colour palettes. If a material feels abrasive or a colour triggers anxiety, it is rejected. We are shifting the power dynamic: the students are not just users; they are the compliance officers. Finally, we are tackling a systemic problem. London is full of disused bowls greens that Councils view as financial liabilities. We are proving a new operational model: that these flat, enclosed, safe spaces are actually the perfect footprint for SEN provision. We are not just building a playground; we are prototyping a rescue strategy.
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?
Gemini said To ensure operational sustainability, we have moved beyond a 'grant-dependency' culture to a hybrid business model. While this capital bid funds the infrastructure, our running costs are covered by our 'Robin Hood' strategy. We will utilise the site for 'Corporate Wellbeing Days' and private weekend hires at commercial rates, the profits of which directly cross-subsidise the free after-school sessions for Wembley Manor students. Additionally, we have launched a 'Friends of the Hub' subscription scheme, where local residents donate small monthly amounts to cover basic utilities, ensuring the lights stay on regardless of grant cycles. Our partnership with Wembley Manor School provides the operational bedrock. By integrating the Hub into their curriculum delivery, we secure an 'anchor user' that justifies the site's existence to the Council. We are also actively training our 'Intergenerational Volunteer Force'—local retirees who manage the grounds—reducing our maintenance wage bill to near zero while combating social isolation among the elderly. Regarding scalability, we see this project as a pilot for a London-wide solution. There are over 100 disused or under-utilised bowls greens in the capital, often viewed by Councils as financial burdens. We are creating a 'Greenprint'—a replicable legal and architectural framework for converting these specific spaces into SEN-safe zones. Once proven here, we aim to partner with the Greater London Authority to roll out the 'Sensory Sports Bowl' model across the borough, turning liability assets into essential community health infrastructure. We are not just building a playground; we are validating a franchise model for community-led regeneration.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
The Big Green Social Action Hub CIC acts as the Lead Applicant. Our Director, Giselle Francis, serves as Project Lead, managing the capital build and contractor procurement to ensure the 'Sensory Sports Bowl' is delivered on time and within budget. Our 'Working Board' oversees financial governance and holds legal responsibility for the lease and liability. To ensure daily operational smooth running, we are appointing a Freelance Hub Coordinator responsible for site safety compliance, managing the booking system, and coordinating the volunteer rota. Wembley Manor School is our specialist Delivery Partner. Their role is twofold: strategic and operational. Strategically, their Senior Leadership Team joins our Steering Group, providing clinical oversight on design elements (colours, textures, layout) to ensure they meet complex SEN requirements. Operationally, they provide the staffing for the weekday after-school clubs. Their support workers manage safeguarding and behavioural regulation, allowing the sessions to run safely without placing that burden on community volunteers. The Community itself holds specific delivery roles. Our 'Older People’s' subgroup members are not just beneficiaries but active contributors, trained as 'Sports Buddies' to facilitate inclusive games. Meanwhile, the students of Wembley Manor hold the role of 'Design Consultants', with their feedback from sensory testing directly dictating our procurement choices. This structure ensures that while the Big Green Hub manages the building, the school and community manage the experience.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Upcoming Milestones Months 1-2: Mobilisation and Co-Creation Upon award, we will immediately formalise the steering group with Wembley Manor School. The priority is the 'Design Your Dream Green' workshops, where students will finalise the equipment list and zoning layout. Simultaneously, we will tender the contracts for the perimeter fencing and surface groundworks, prioritising local suppliers where possible to keep the investment within Brent. Months 3-4: Capital Construction Phase The physical transformation begins with securing the site. The installation of the 1.8m 'soft' perimeter fencing is the critical path activity; no other works begin until the site is secure. Following this, the 'High Energy' zone will be resurfaced with porous rubberised flooring, and the 'Calm-Down' nature corner will be landscaped. concurrently, the pavilion wet-room refurbishment will be undertaken to ensure 'Changing Places' compliance. Month 5: Stress-Testing and Training Before opening, we conduct 'Stay & Play' audits where parents and students test the facility for sensory triggers and safety gaps. This phase also includes the recruitment and safeguarding training of our 'Sports Buddies' volunteers and the setup of the 'Green Pass' digital check-in system. Month 6: Go Live The Sensory Sports Bowl officially opens. We commence the daily 3:30 PM after-school provision for Wembley Manor students. Two weeks later, we launch the Saturday 'Siblings Club' and the wider community booking platform, marking the transition from a capital project to an operational community asset.
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.
Our primary barrier is paid staffing capacity. We operate with a very lean structure: a voluntary Board of Directors and a single part-time Freelance Hub Coordinator. Participating in an 8-week intensive programme presents a significant opportunity cost. Therefore, we request funding to cover the 'opportunity cost' of participation—specifically, paying for the Project Lead's time and backfilling the operational duties to the Freelance Coordinator. COST BREAKDOWN (ESTIMATED) 1. Project Lead Participation Support (£4,800) Justification: To enable Giselle Francis (Director) to dedicate 2 days per week to the programme (workshops + homework/implementation) without financial detriment or neglect of strategic duties. Calculation: £300/day x 2 days/week x 8 weeks. 2. Operational Backfill - Freelance Coordinator (£1,920) Justification: To increase the Freelance Coordinator's hours to cover the site management, volunteer supervision, and contractor liaison duties that the Project Lead would usually handle during this time. Calculation: £20/hour x 12 additional hours/week x 8 weeks. 3. Travel & Subsistence (£400) Justification: Travel costs for the Project Lead and one other Board Member/Partner (e.g., from Wembley Manor School) to attend in-person sessions. Calculation: £50/week (covers 2 people) x 8 weeks. 4. Community Engagement Expenses (£500) Justification: To cover expenses (childcare, refreshments, travel) for parent volunteers or 'Sports Buddies' who may need to be consulted or interviewed as part of the programme's coursework/market research. TOTAL REQUESTED: £7,620
