The Wimbledon Foundation's Charitable Work

Established in 2013, the AELTC's official charity, the Wimbledon Foundation, aims to make a positive difference to people’s lives on a local, national and international scale using the collective strength of Wimbledon.

As the official hospitality partner of The Championships, we are fully committed to helping the Wimbledon Foundation change peoples lives - for every ticket sold through Keith Prowse, £5 is contributed to the Wimbledon Foundation. By buying official, you are helping to support the powerful work of the amazing charities that receive funding from the Wimbledon Foundation.

The Wimbledon Foundation’s Health & Wellbeing Fund currently supports nine different charities with a total of £1m over five years, used for projects to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable residents in Merton and Wandsworth. In the last year, over 820 local people have been supported via a Health & Wellbeing charity partner, with measurable improvements in their health and wellbeing.

This year also saw 43 local people supported by the Foundation's charity partners working across 11 teams at The Championships, including eight people with visual impairments supported by Merton Vision. Through the Foundation's 'Work at Wimbledon' scheme, local people facing barriers to employments are assisted in accessing roles, including retail and court services assistants, to gain valuable work experience.

These supported organisations include the following…

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS)

This charity focuses on community outreach and works to support people of refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds living in South-West London. Providing tailored support for those either in care or who are care leavers, CARAS also provide financial literacy, mental health and wellbeing support and routes to employment. They work closely with individuals to ensure they get specific support matching their situation, no matter how complex this may be. They continue to provide a diverse sports programme for young people including football and swimming, and a residential trip in the summer to allow young refugees to take part in lots of activities. The Youth Casework provision gives young people language inclusive and accessible support, supported by the Foundation. (See image on right)

www.caras.org.uk

Catch22

Catch22’s overarching goal is to reduce the impact and use of substances on individuals and the wider community by providing support to young people aged 24 and under. Delivering school-based counselling to children aged between 11 and 16 who have been identified as requiring one-to-one support and intervention, Catch22 helps to provide emotional health support and help children to deal with the impact of substance misuse in their own families. 29 young people have received counselling over the past year, with 70% reporting improvements to their mental health and 80% saying they felt more able to enjoy life.

Community Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services (CDARS) 

CDARS aims to improve vulnerable people’s lives, providing emotional, psychological and practical support to those experiencing substance misuse or at risk of a mental health crisis. A series of events and weekly activities are open to local communities in the Sunshine Recovery Café as part of their Culture + Diversity = Cohesion (CDC) Programme. Customer’s talent is showcased to improve wellness, celebrate culture and diversity and to reduce the stigma of mental heath by bringing people closer together.

Over the past year, the charity has developed a young people programme called the Sunlight Youth Cafe, possible from the Wimbledon Foundation's grant. Two Youth Workers are delivering sessions to 67 young people aged 18-25, who all experience mental health issues around loneliness, isolation and exacerbation from the pandemic.This has been supported with a programme of one-to-one counselling sessions and life coaching. 20 young people have now received training to become Events Champions, soon to be accredited by NCFE, meaning young people will gain an accredited qualification in Level 1 or 2 Peer Support.The Events Champions plan and coordinate a variety of activities for young people, including The Movement Fest, Celebrating Creativity Event and Neurodiversity Celebration Week. (See above image).

Free2B Alliance

Support is provided by this charity to those identifying as LGBTQ+ and their parents by helping to empower them to work together to deliver awareness training and challenge biphobia, homophobia and transphobia in society.

One-to-one mentoring occurs in Merton and Wandsworth secondary schools in addition to the community, aiming to create positive social connections and improve emotional wellbeing of young LGBTQ+ people.A number of young people have reported improved resilience across one of the categories: work/career, education, relationships, wellbeing, gender identity, sexuality and support networks.

Merton Vision

Support for people with visual impairment and sight loss in Merton is provided by this charity, engaging young people of working age who have lost their sight by offering one-to-one meetings to identify needs and support levels. Access to coaching, counselling, life and employment skills, mobility support, social groups and specialist IT equipment is offered to help those in need. 176 people have been supported over the last year providing a variety of support to materially improve their lives. Eight of their clients have accepted work at The Wimbledon Championships this summer, and for four in particular, will improve their future changes significantly. (See above image).

Off the Record Youth Counselling

Free, professional support has been given to young people in Croydon, Sutton and Merton over the past 25 years for those needing mental health support. Face-to-face and online counselling and a weekly drop in for 11-25 year-olds in Merton to tackle a lack of mental health services provision. The charity have expanded their work overe the past year across 17 primary and secondary schools, providing 686 sessions to over 100 people - mixing in-person, online nad text-based support. (See image on left).

Regenerate

Regenerate work to help transform lives and communities with young people and facilities in Roehampton and estates across London. Their Get Focused mentoring programme works to support disadvantaged people aged 11-18 years-old, helping them to grow their confidence and improve emotional and social capabilities by listening to them about their lives, providing role models and opportunities for personal development.

Thrive (Society for Horticultural Therapy)

Gardening is used to encourage positive changes in those living with disabilities or ill health, who are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable in society. Thrive’s Social and Therapeutic Horticulture Programme enables those with life-changing health conditions and disabilities to experience gardening and the joy that comes with it, allowing them to build new friendships, social networks and confidence to regain or maintain an active lifestyle and an independent life. This year, sessions ran for small groups to improve thier health and wellbeing, with 75% of clients reporting an increased knowledge of gardening, 75% felt they're able to carry out daily tasks longer with greater strength, and 100% felt they'd developed a sense of personal achievement.

Wandsworth Community Empowerment Network (WCEN)

WCEN aims to support and identify local community networks to be a part of public service decision-making forums and become active co-producers of services needed in the community. Creative workshops and links to community opportunities are a part of the programme that allow black and minority ethnic young people to develop core life skills, for example building confidence, advocacy, self-esteem, financial management and self-care.

Additionally, the Wimbledon Foundation helped with the following:

• More than 5,000 plants from The Championships were donated to local charities, community groups and hospitals

• Tennis nets donated to courts across the boroughs

• 3,500 children at state primary schools in Merton and Wandsworth introduced to tennis by the Wimbledon Junior Tennis Initiative (WJTI)
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• More than 10,000 items of clothing and towels donated to local charities including homeless shelters, baby banks and women's refuges.

Keith Prowse is proud to be the Official Hospitality Provider to The Championships, Wimbledon, but we are also incredibly proud to support the Wimbledon Foundation and its work supporting and strengthening the local community.

For every hospitality place sold, Keith Prowse will contribute £5 to the Wimbledon Foundation to contribute to the work they do for so many great charities and initiatives.

Find out more about our hospitality experiences at The Championships now.