“People of all ages and walks of life can access a positive space where they can play basketball socially, learn the sport, and also network with others.”

Romiti Adeeko, Southwark Legends Head Coach

We believe basketball has huge untapped potential to transform the lives of underserved young people in their local communities. We know from Sport England’s Active Lives data that the more vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society are attracted to basketball.

However, basketball facilities remain underfunded and underutilized. To drive change, we partnered with Southwark Council in early 2024 to support the development of a new basketball court in the borough. We led the community consultation for the court’s paint design and have delivered an activation programme.

To kick-start the project, we organised a community consultation via an in-depth survey distributed amongst local residents and key local basketball stakeholders, including Burgess Sports, Camberwell and Dulwich Children’s Centre, London Thunder and Southwark Legends.

The design was created in collaboration with the basketball brand, Half Decent Day, incorporating vibrant artwork that nods to Burgess Park’s nature and history and gives the community a sense of ownership over the facility. We also focused on ensuring that the design would feel welcoming for underrepresented groups, specifically girls, those with disabilities, those from low-income families and those from ethnically diverse communities.

Aligned with Sport England’s Active Design Principles, we consulted Southwark Council to ensure the court is an active, high-quality space. Through our connections to London’s basketball community, we worked with Basketball England, Hoopsfix and London Youth to create a top-quality space that would attract local people, including:

• Seating for spectators and players
• Adjustable hoops and flexible rims
• FIBA-regulated grip-grade paint and perspex backboards
• A runoff around the court for space and to avoid injuries
• Bins, storage and a safety runoff space around the court

To activate the facility, we hosted a community day at the court, attended by over 80 young people and their families. It was inspirational to see this new basketball community begin to thrive. The event was planned in collaboration with London Youth and featured: 

• A meet and greet with London Lions and Team GB Basketball player – Shanice Beckford Norton 
• Demonstrations, dunk competitions and coaching sessions 
• Wheelchair basketball taster sessions 
• Prize giveaways from BounceWear, Half Decent Day and Basketball England. 

Following the launch event, our Basketball Development Manager is creating Burgess Park Basketball Club, a community club focused on engaging disabled and disadvantaged young people. To ensure the club’s sustainability, we have provided the club with much-needed equipment and recruited a team of enthusiastic volunteers to help out at the court and run regular sessions.

Kieran, Burgess Park Basketball Club volunteer, shared his experience:

“As an aspiring basketball coach, I am very excited to gain practical experience here and bring the community closer together through the game we love.”

Shanice Beckford-Norton, a former Team GB basketball player, mentioned:

"As long as we keep building and renovating these courts, we can make them safe spaces for absolutely anyone to be able to play at"

Going forward, we will support the club in establishing proper governance and processes so that it can have a positive long-term impact on the community. By developing these courts, we provide young people and their families with a community hub that can act as a positive force for change in their lives.