Our specialist partner London Thunder Basketball Club offers a safe ‘playground’ for young people in the ethnically diverse area of Lewisham, south-east London.

London Thunder’s dedicated Levelling the Playing Field sessions take place on Saturday mornings and participant numbers now average 100 across two venues, having dropped to around 20 immediately after the Covid-19 lockdowns.

The club has 10 competitive teams (male and female) across age groups from under-12s to senior level – but it’s the Saturday morning sessions where the club’s positive impact on individuals’ lives, habits and behaviour begins.

Coach Dejan Paunovic, who has been with the club since 2009, says: “It’s not all about getting them ready for competitions, it’s allowing them to turn up when they feel like it and spend some time with their friends because it’s a safe environment. That’s why we are open every day of the week and we’re always supervised.

“In basketball you need the court to play and the number of those in the community are limited. Those outdoor areas are usually quite busy and older ones don’t give the younger ones a chance to play. Our players know that is not the case with our facility.

“Our gym is open 30 hours per week from right after school until gone 9pm. It allows them to stay active even when we don’t have sessions. It’s a place for kids to come and use when they want to. That was a strategic decision by us. For them, our gym is their playground – which is exactly what we wanted.”

The safe, nurturing environment for ethnically diverse children to play sport aligns with Levelling the Playing Field’s common goals:

• Increase the number of ethnically diverse children taking part in sport and physical activity
• Prevent and divert ethnically diverse children from becoming involved in the Criminal Justice System

London Thunder’s Saturday morning Levelling the Playing Field sessions for 10-18-year-olds are the key driver to increasing participation at the club’s base and its two satellite venues. New faces turn up, love it, and soon they bring friends, siblings and cousins along as word spreads.

The growth of that base of grassroots players leads to many becoming full members, increasing their commitment to more weekly practice hours and striving to get into teams. In the last 13 years, almost 40 London Thunder players have competed at junior international level and many have joined the American collegiate system. That’s a powerful aspirational pathway for children to follow.

“I’ve been with the club quite a long time and what I like to see is new faces,” says Dejan. “The club has an impact on one particular individual when he or she becomes part of the fabric. Some have been around for over 10 years. They bring other people from their own network and that’s how we reach out further into the community. It’s those kinds of benefits that are obvious to me now, compared to say 10 years ago.

“Sometimes kids start playing because they’re encouraged by their parents but when they get into the team aspect, starting socialising outside of the regular training sessions and creating their own little communities, they may aspire to play competitively, go into academies and pursue basketball and education. Basketball is the enabler for that personal development.

“I’ve seen a lot of kids mature as a result of getting the positive benefits from the club. I’ve seen them progress from a lack of focus and seriousness about their education to developing new skillsets and dedication. It’s amazing to see and shows the power sport has to change lives.”