Vodafone, as part of its sports.connected initiative has teamed up with the Jason Robinson Foundation and prominent charity Sported to support grassroots community sports clubs and encourage children and young people across the UK to get active through sport and physical activity.
Kicking off in Manchester, children from the Abraham Moss Warriors, a local sports and activity community club were joined by Vodafone UK Business ambassador and former British & Irish Lion, Jason Robinson OBE, for a rugby coaching session and Q&A.
Jason spent time talking with the Abraham Moss Warriors about his rugby career, his pathway through the sport and his own upbringing.
He also offered candid insight into the importance of his connection to his local community and grassroots rugby club.
The day’s events concluded with Jason and his Foundation providing the club with a range of brand-new kit, from football boots and tops to rain jackets and warm jumpers for the winter.
Alongside the visit, Vodafone’s sports.connected programme, in partnership with Sported, has also provided Abraham Moss Warriors with digital connectivity in the form of SIM cards and access to a bespoke digital business skills platform through its V-Hub offering.
The tool has been developed to help clubs raise more funding and engage more young people in sport through educational webinars, toolkits, and training, designed with the needs of each club taken into consideration.
The Abraham Moss Warriors also received a grant from Vodafone’s grant-giving scheme, which they have put towards providing extra sporting activities during school holidays for young people from an area of deprivation.
Sports.connected is part of Vodafone’s everyone.connected campaign, which is helping four million people and businesses cross the digital divide by the end of 2025, giving them the connectivity and skills they need to stay connected and participate fully in an increasingly digital society.
Nick Gliddon, Vodafone UK Business Director, said: “Community sports groups like Abraham Moss Warriors are a lifeline for many young people up and down the country, and at Vodafone, we understand the vital role that sport can play in their lives.
We’re hugely proud of our partnerships with Sported and the Jason Robinson Foundation, and the work we are doing together to provide digital connections and skills to these community groups, giving them and their members the tools to help them grow and thrive.”
Jason Robinson, Vodafone UK Business ambassador, said: “I really enjoyed the day I spent with Abraham Moss Warriors, teaching the kids some rugby skills and getting to talk to them about my own pathway through sport.
I know first-hand how important clubs like these are for young people, so I feel really privileged to be a part of this initiative and know that the work we’re doing is making a difference to this community.”
June Kelly, Founder of Abraham Moss Warriors, said: “Having Jason Robinson and his Foundation join us at Abraham Moss Warriors this half term was a hugely exciting moment for the club and the kids that come here.
“The Vodafone and Sported initiative is really important for clubs like ours. The connectivity and digital skills that we have been given as part of this is already making a significant difference to the club and our members.”
In May 2023, Vodafone announced its partnership with Sported, a UK-wide charity using grassroots sport and physical activity in our communities to have a positive impact on young people.
The partnership aims to tackle digital exclusion and support thousands of young people across the UK, offering free connectivity, digital skills training and a grant-giving scheme to support the vital work undertaken by community groups in engaging young people, tackling inequality and boosting health and well-being through sport.