Planet Earth Games Trust has been awarded funding from London Marathon Foundation to deliver community plogging in London. Funding has been awarded from the Active Spaces Fund, which has seen more than £2.4 million to improve and create places, spaces and facilities in London to support children, young people and marginalised groups and communities to lead active and healthy lives.

A total of 81 projects across 26 London Boroughs have been funded, covering a wide range of sports and physical activities – from dance to fencing to volleyball – for different communities. This includes a Planet Earth Games Trust environmentally friendly ‘plogging’ project (combining jogging and litter picking), six new play projects for children and families, an Inclusive Cycling Centre in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for people with disabilities, new safe and accessible fitness sessions for LGBTQIA+ people, and free boxing sessions for Muslim and Black women.

With physical and mental health ranked as the third most important issue for young Londoners (Partnership for Young London’s Levelling up London Report, 2023), and the continuing uncertainty of the cost-of-living crisis disproportionately impacting marginalised groups and communities, our mission to create opportunities for more children, young people, marginalised groups and communities to lead active and healthy lives has never been more important.

Catherine Anderson, Executive Director of the London Marathon Foundation, said: “Our mission to increase and diversify participation in physical activity is more important than ever and we want to support as many people as we can to lead active and healthy lives.

“The wide range of groups and organisations we are supporting through our Active Spaces Fund are truly inspiring and their innovative ideas and passion will create new opportunities for children, young people and marginalised groups to be active. By working together, we can develop healthier and happier communities across London.”

Chris Broadbent, Founder and CEO of Planet Earth Games Trust, said: “We are thrilled to have secured funding from the London Marathon Foundation to launch three community plogging groups in the capital, combining our charity’s mission of supporting physical activity and taking climate action. We look forward to working with people within London communities to support shared wellbeing and improving their shared environments through this exciting programme.”