Tooting & Mitcham United Football Club’s fast-expanding Youth set-up has become the first grassroots club in the country to partner with OURSPACE, the clothing brand launched on Wednesday 16th September by Sport Local Action CIC to remove cost barriers to youth sport.
The partnership lands against a stark backdrop: more than 700,000 children in London are living in poverty, and the latest Sport England data shows over half of young Londoners are not meeting recommended daily activity levels — with cost cited as a key barrier to taking part.
OURSPACE sells premium leisurewear — caps, sweatshirts and t-shirts — with every penny of profit going directly into a fund covering kit, coaching, transport and other costs that can stop young people playing. Through the new partnership, that support will now reach young players at Tooting & Mitcham United.
Xavier Wiggins BEM, founder of Sport Local Action and OURSPACE, said the club was a natural first partner given its longstanding community focus in south London.
Tooting & Mitcham United chairman Dean Morgan said: “Grassroots football should be for everyone. A child shouldn’t miss out on being part of a team because of the financial circumstances of their family… A huge thank you to Xavier Wiggins for creating OURSPACE and for trusting Tooting & Mitcham United to be the first club on this journey. This is just the beginning.”
Shop the Tooting & Mitcham United collection here.
OURSPACE is now inviting other grassroots clubs to join the programme.