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
Joyce
Last Name
Ip
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
London Borough of Hounslow
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
1965
Initiative Title
Go! Feltham
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/
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
Go! Feltham will reimagine and revitalise underused space at Feltham Park by refurbishing the existing 11-a-side football pitch and equipping inclusive, affordable sport and physical activity opportunities for young people aged 18 months to 12 years. Working in partnership with Feltham Town FC, Junior parkrun, Reach Academy Feltham, and other local groups, the initiative will transform the park into a safe, welcoming and vibrant community hub for families who are currently underrepresented in organised sport. Funding will support pitch improvements, essential football equipment, and revenue costs to enable regular grassroots sessions for under-12s and early years children (18 months–7 years), reducing cost barriers and increasing access. The project will also strengthen junior parkrun at Hanworth Air Park —ensuring a high-quality, inclusive weekly event. By adapting an underused space and investing in equipment and partnerships, Go! Feltham will create sustainable opportunities for physical activity, foster belonging and confidence, and support healthier, more active lifestyles for`1 local young people and their 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?
Feltham has recently appeared in the news for tragic reasons, including another fatal stabbing. Incidents like these deepen fear among young people and families, with many now anxious about spending time outdoors. Feltham is a diverse, youthful community with strong local pride, but deprivation remains a significant influence. Feltham West sits between deciles 2 & 5 on 2025 Index of Multiple Deprivation, with some council estate areas among the most deprived 13% nationally for income deprivation affecting children For many young people, safe, structured and affordable activities outside school are limited, and safety fears often deter participation—especially for girls. Early intervention works: the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit shows that trusted relationships, structured activities and long-term support can reduce youth violence and improve life chances. Children in Feltham deserve safety, belonging and opportunity, growing up confident in their community rather than afraid of it. Hounslow Council and its partners are deeply embedded locally. Through initiatives such as Rise and Thrive, we already support young people and families, working closely with schools, community organisations and local police to identify those most at risk and signpost them into positive pathways. We will also work with Perfectly Imperfect to create inclusive, welcoming environments that embrace diversity and promote acceptance. Feltham Town FC and Junior parkrun offer accessible, low-cost activities that bring families together. Football and running are sports that cut across age, culture and background, enabling an intergenerational approach that reflects Feltham’s demographics. By strengthening these community anchors, we can help young people feel valued, protected and connected.
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?
Our approach is to transform the underused Council‑owned space behind Feltham Assembly Hall into a safe, inclusive and affordable hub for sport and physical activity. The centrepiece is an £80k refurbishment of the existing 11‑a‑side grass pitch with Feltham Town FC, including improved drainage, regrading, restoration, lighting, seating and bins to create a high‑quality, welcoming environment. The pitch will host grassroots football, multi‑use activities and community events, with portable 5‑a‑side goals enabling flexible formats, informal play and small‑sided games for younger children and beginners. Alongside this, £15k in revenue funding will support Feltham Town FC’s Under‑12s and Mini Hawks for two years, removing cost barriers and ensuring consistent access to structured activity. A further £5k will equip Junior parkrun with essential startup items—such as cones, a PA system, gazebo, tables, scanners, first‑aid kit and storage—creating a free weekly event that helps families feel safe and connected in the park Our “aha” moment came through the Feltham Park masterplan engagement. We involved 46 community groups and 63 sports clubs and identified 22 more groups for targeted outreach. The Reach Foundation also consulted 470 students and 6 parents, who highlighted the lack of dedicated spaces for teenagers—leading to older children using existing areas inappropriately. Feltham has a proud sporting legacy, highlighted by Sir Mo Farah’s rise from local parks to Olympic gold—showing what’s possible when young people have safe spaces and opportunities. As landowner, Hounslow Council will work with Rise and Thrive, Perfectly Imperfect and Feltham Town FC to turn consultation into action and create a park where the next generation can thrive.
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 places young people and the community at the heart of both design and delivery. By providing immediate access to football and a junior parkrun, the project creates opportunities for local children and families to engage in safe, structured activity, while also supporting intergenerational participation. Young people are central to shaping the solution. Early engagement through the Feltham Park masterplan included 1:1 meetings with three local sports clubs and two sports governing bodies + extensive consultation by The Reach Foundation with 470 students & 6 parents. These sessions explored what young people value in other parks, what they want for Feltham, and where activities should be placed within the Parklands. Findings showed a clear gap in facilities for children and teenagers. Participants described the space as “empty” or “boring” unless playing sport, and community groups agreed there is little provision for older children. These insights shaped the football pitch refurbishment, portable 5‑a‑side goals and the introduction of Junior parkrun, ensuring activities meet their expressed needs. Young people will continue to co-create the programme, helping to test new sessions, provide feedback on equipment and design, and lead activities where appropriate. This engagement lays the groundwork for Phase 2 of the masterplan, which will explore additional enhancements such as a running track, pump track, cricket facilities, café and changing rooms. By involving young people in decision‑making, design and delivery, the project meets immediate activity needs while giving them ownership and pride in the space. This approach helps ensure the park is not only used but genuinely valued and respected by the community it serves.
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 is designed to make a real difference in access to physical activity by providing high‑quality, local facilities and inclusive community programming. The refurbished 11 a side football pitch and portable 5 aside goals will give immediate access to regular play and structured sessions, while a Junior parkrun will introduce free, weekly physical activity for children and families. Evidence from junior parkrun shows the model delivers benefits at scale. Over the past year, children in the UK completed more than one million junior parkruns, with 96% of families planning to continue and many children becoming more active beyond the event. Parents report strong impacts too: 85% say it boosts self esteem and wellbeing, with many children expressing happiness and pride. Wider evaluation of parkrun highlights significant physical and mental health gains, with around nine in ten previously inactive participants increasing their activity levels, fitness and overall health. Independent research also shows that grassroots sport, including football, has major wellbeing impacts—helping reduce obesity, depression and anxiety, while improving confidence and happiness. Over 90% of grassroots football participants say it makes them feel happier and 86% report improved confidence. In the first year, we expect our project to reach 500–700 local children and families, supporting regular participation and building healthy routines. Longer term, consistent use of these spaces and programmes will improve community wellbeing, support social connection across generations, and provide positive alternatives to inactivity and unsupervised time. By anchoring our work in proven models with nationwide impact, we have a credible and measurable path to deep‑rooted change in Feltham.
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 brings proven approaches together in a new way, tailored to the specific challenges young people face in Feltham. While football clubs and Parkruns exist elsewhere,combining them in the underused space behind Feltham Assembly Hall creates a multi‑use, intergenerational environment where children, teenagers and families can participate safely and inclusively. This meets multiple needs at once—structured activity for younger children,informal exercise & social connection for older youth, and safe recreational space for families. The intergenerational design further strengthens the model. By pairing football with Junior parkrun, the project encourages participation across ages, fostering peer mentoring, role modelling and social cohesion.The refurbished spaces can also support activities for older residents, such as Tai Chi, walking groups & low‑impact exercise. Young people will take on leadership roles in delivering sessions & supporting younger participants, building a sense of ownership rarely seen in traditional park/sports projects. Our partnerships are original in how they connect schools, community groups, local sports clubs & organisations like Rise & Thrive and Perfectly Imperfect to ensure activities are inclusive, culturally relevant and reach those most at risk of exclusion. Drawing on research from the UAL & the Reach Foundation, we integrate evidence on barriers faced by young people from diverse backgrounds directly into co‑design so their voices shape delivery from the start. The initiative also transforms an underused public space into a destination for activity, wellbeing and community connection—shifting norms by showing that local parks can be safe, inclusive and empowering spaces for young people can thrive.
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?
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
September – October 2026 • Finalise partnerships and agreements with Feltham Town FC, Junior parkrun, Reach Academy Feltham and others • Confirm access and permissions • Establish the Youth Advisory Group and schedule the first codesign workshops. November–December 2026 • Conduct codesign workshops and community engagement activities to inform space design and activity programming. • Develop a detailed activity plan for football sessions, junior parkrun, and intergenerational pilots. • Procure essential equipment including cones, markers, PA system, gazebo, folding tables, barcode scanners, and first aid kit. January – May 2027 • Refurbish the 11-a-side football pitch and prepare surrounding areas for safe, inclusive use. • Pilot initial sports sessions and junior parkrun events, testing delivery formats, inclusion measures, and safety protocols. • Monitor participation and collect feedback from youth participants and the Advisory Group. June 2027 – August 2027 • Assess outcomes and impact, including participation rates, inclusivity measures, and user satisfaction. • Develop a scaling plan for Phase 2 within the Feltham Park Masterplan and explore replication in other parks across Feltham. • Submit evaluation and recommendations to funders and partners highlighting successes, lessons learned, and opportunities for further investment.
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.
A contribution of £10,000 is sought to fund Youth Workers and Engagement Specialists, ensuring dedicated capacity to lead engagement and co‑design work with young people. • Lead on outreach to young people across schools and youth centres. • Design and deliver co‑design workshops, surveys and creative engagement activities. • Support young people to participate safely, confidently and meaningfully. • Capture lived‑experience insight on safety, inclusion and activity preferences.
