MIL Pubishing Engine 2

Source: Scottish Greens

31 Jul 2026 Energy

BP’s North Sea oil and gas business sale shows fossil fuel industry is doomed without a just transition for workers.

The sale of BP’s North Sea oil and gas business is a stark warning that governments must accelerate Scotland’s transition to renewable energy and protect workers from further corporate retreat, the Scottish Greens have said.

BP has announced plans to sell its North Sea operations after more than 60 years in the basin, affecting around 1,100 workers directly as well as thousands more across the supply chain.

Scottish Greens energy spokesperson Kristopher Leask MSP said:

“This is a stark reminder that no amount of political spin can reverse decades of geological decline. Andy Burnham cannot drill his way out of that reality.

“After more than 60 years, BP has decided that its North Sea oil and gas business is no longer one of its highest-value opportunities. Our immediate concern has to be for the workers directly affected and the thousands more across the supply chain. 

“Workers deserve firm guarantees and a credible jobs plan, not being passed around between multinational corporations while politicians pretend that another round of drilling will fix the problems.

“The North Sea is a mature basin with reserves in terminal decline. Most of what remains is oil, roughly 80% of which is put on tankers and shipped overseas, doing very little to improve our energy security. After 60 years of drilling, the UK has already burned most of its gas and  employment will decline regardless of production levels. 

“The choice is clear: an orderly, worker-led transition or allowing more chaotic corporate retreats like this one.”

Kristopher added:

“Scotland has the skills, ports and engineering expertise to become a renewable-energy powerhouse. We need public investment, strong domestic supply chains and guarantees that workers can transfer their skills without sacrificing their pay, pensions or conditions.

“That means creating secure, unionised jobs in offshore wind, decommissioning, grid infrastructure and manufacturing here in Scotland, not by selling workers the fantasy that a depleted oil basin can be restored to its peak.”

Source: Scottish Government

More development plots for businesses, housing and infrastructure in the Clyde Gateway area will be unlocked thanks to Scottish Government investment of £3.5 million.

The funding will drive forward the next phase of remediation work at Shawfield, a long-standing regeneration challenge due to Chromium VI contamination from the site’s industrial past and support growth in Dalmarnock.

The Shawfield remediation will create developable plots for businesses, housing and infrastructure, supporting Clyde Gateway’s ambition to establish the area as a nationally significant home to high-growth clusters of businesses in sectors including advanced manufacturing, life sciences, clean energy, research facilities and other high-growth companies.

Investment in Dalmarnock has transformed the area with developments such as EastWorks demonstrating how historic industrial assets can be repurposed to create high-quality employment spaces which support the area’s economic renewal.

Minister for Business and Fair Work Tom Arthur today visited the EastWorks project site as it celebrates the significant milestone of becoming fully occupied.

He said:

“Transforming the industrial legacies of Scotland’s past into the foundations of our future economy is at the heart of what regeneration means.

“The work of Clyde Gateway across the east end is a powerful example of that transformation in action. What was once synonymous with contamination and dereliction is being reclaimed as land for new businesses, new homes and new opportunities. This funding will help Clyde Gateway continue that vital work, tackling decades-old environmental damage and unlocking the potential of this site for the communities around it.

“Investment like this doesn’t just clean up land, it creates jobs, attracts high-growth businesses and helps local communities flourish. The regeneration of the east end and decontamination of Shawfield is an ongoing legacy from the 2014 Commonwealth Games and this extra funding comes as the city hosts the Games once again.

“I want to see the benefits of regeneration continue to spread across Scotland, and this funding for Shawfield is a clear demonstration of our commitment to that ambition.”

Chief Executive of Clyde Gateway Martin McKay said:

“This £3.5 million investment is a significant endorsement of the progress being made across Clyde Gateway and our long-term vision for the area. It will support innovation-led growth in Dalmarnock, enable continued investment in the remediation of brownfield land at Shawfield, and help create the conditions for future business growth, housing and infrastructure.

“We welcome the Scottish Government’s continued support as we work with partners to deliver lasting economic opportunities and benefits for local communities.”

Background

Clyde Gateway is the largest place-based community-led regeneration project in Scotland to drive inward investment and improvement for communities in the east end of Glasgow and South Lanarkshire.

Addressing contamination has been a major priority for Clyde Gateway from the outset, and this latest funding builds on significant progress already made at the site such as modern office accommodation development Red Tree Magenta

EastWorks was a Victorian gas-purifer shed which was restored using nearly £7 million of Scottish Government Regeneration funding. It now hosts a group of innovation-led businesses which are driving economic growth and job creation across sectors such as space technology and cyber security.   

Clyde Gateway is currently progressing through Phase 2 of a planned three-phase programme to fully remediate Shawfield and unlock the land for development.

The Scottish Government has invested over £215 million in Clyde Gateway since it was set up in 2008.

The £3.5m grant will be used across Clyde Gateway’s transformational programme of regeneration activity actively supporting innovation led growth across the east end including in Dalmarnock and Shawfield while providing much needed capacity to continue the long term investment in brownfield land remediation and infrastructure.

Source: City of Wolverhampton

Featuring Britpop Reunion, the UK’s leading professional Britpop tribute band, the event will take audiences on a nostalgic journey through the era when bands such as Oasis, Blur, Pulp and The Verve dominated the charts and defined a generation of British music.

The band will take to the stage from 7.30pm with a high energy performance packed full of recognisable hits from the super bands of the 90s including Oasis, Blur, Supergrass and Pulp and are guaranteed to have the crowd singing all night!

Indie DJ Dan Mawson from VDUB Radio will also be on hand with a set including the best of Britpop and Indie music to keep everyone entertained from 6.30pm.

Leader of City of Wolverhampton Council, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: “We’re delighted to welcome this fantastic live music event to Bilston, giving residents and visitors the chance to enjoy some of the biggest hits of the 1990s in our new Market Square area.  

“We are excited to be able to hold events like this in Bilston thanks to the Pride in Place programme which is aimed at creating community events and celebrating the spirit of the town. I’d encourage everyone to get your tickets fast as this is set to be a popular event.”

The brand new event space has been introduced as part of the multi million pound refurbishment of the market delivered by City of Wolverhampton Council.

This is an event for ages 14+ only, and 14 to 15 year olds must be accompanied by an adult aged 18+; 16 year olds allowed unaccompanied.

Buy your tickets in advance for £8.50 or on the day for £10.00 (ticket prices include booking fee) at Bilston Live. 

As it’s a standing gig and outside, please dress accordingly for the weather.

Gates open for Bilston Live – Britpop Reunion at 6.15pm ready for starting at 6.30pm. Last entry is 8.00pm and the event ends at 9.30pm. There is NO re-entry if you leave.

Grab your bucket hats and parkas for what will be an unbelievable evening in the heart of Bilston!

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

World news story
UK partners with Malaysia on mangrove restoration research

The UK and Malaysia are working together in the ‘Revive’ research project for the conservation of mangroves in Malaysia.

Mangroves

‘Revive’ (Just Restoration and Equitable Value Chains for Inclusive, Viable Mangrove Ecosystems), will look beyond tree planting to understand how restored landscapes can support communities as well as ecosystems.

Supported by the UK Government, it will explore how restored mangroves can protect ecosystems while creating fairer opportunities for the coastal communities who depend on them.


Announced in conjunction with International Mangrove Day 2026 (26 July), a new international research project led by the University of Manchester supported by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, the University of Warwick, Cardiff University, National University of Singapore, and the Penang Inshore Fishermen Welfare Association, will fundamentally rethink the trade-offs and synergies between mangrove restoration and expansion through commercial value chains.


Led by Dr Aarti Krishnan, Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Sustainability at Alliance Manchester Business School, and supported by Dr Aldrie Amir, Associate Professor at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and other colleagues, the project will work across three Malaysian mangrove landscapes: Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve in Perak, Sungai Acheh and Sungai Chenaam in Penang, and Setiu Wetlands State Park in Terengganu.


Mangroves protect shorelines, store carbon, sustain fisheries and support local livelihoods, but restoration projects can sometimes leave communities in low-paid roles or exclude them from the wider benefits created by healthier ecosystems.


Revive will test a different approach, combining community governance, environmental evidence and fairer routes into higher-value markets.

 The project is funded by the Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC) of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), and runs from July 2026 to June 2029.


Dr Aldrie Amir of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said: 

Mangroves are the signature habitat and ecosystem of the tropics, and humans have depended on the resources provided by these coastal forested wetlands since the first memories of many tropical civilisations.

Coastal communities are the first to be impacted by the degradation of mangroves, either by natural or anthropogenic forces.

They, therefore, should be the primary beneficiaries from the protection of intact mangrove habitats and the rehabilitation of the disturbed ones.


The Malaysian team and I look forward to welcome and host our UK and foreign counterparts in undertaking the review and investigative research work for this GCBC-Defra funded Project Revive.

Dr Aarti Krishnan of Alliance Manchester Business School said:

Revive centres people, livelihoods, power – who captures value from restored landscapes.

We want to know how to measure ‘just restoration’ so it can be designed such that communities are recognised as stewards, decision-makers and active participants in fair value chains.

British High Commissioner to Malaysia, His Excellency Ajay Sharma, said:

Mangroves don’t get the recognition they deserve.

With climate change, rising sea level, storm surge and coastal erosion, mangroves are important natural infrastructure which help to cut carbon, safeguard biodiversity and underpin sustainable livelihoods.

The UK Government is proud to support this new Revive research collaboration between British and Malaysian institutions to advance sustainable restoration and conservation of these critical ecosystems.

The project will bring together a multidisciplinary team from geography, marine ecology, economics, management studies, data and decision sciences.

Planned outputs include articles, policy briefs, open data sets and map packs (restoration maps, blue carbon), innovative trade-off forward business models, roundtables, a community-led “Mangrove Memory Archive” capturing local experiences of floods, fish, food, work, loss and restoration.

 
An advisory board of government, conservation, responsible business and international development specialists will support the project.

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

World news story
UK adopts updated Khmer translation of its name

The British Embassy Phnom Penh has adopted an updated Khmer translation of the United Kingdom.

The British Embassy logo with the updated Khmer Translation

new Khmer language name reflects all four nations of the United Kingdom and the UK’s modern political structure 

the revision was developed in consultation with Cambodian linguistic experts and the Royal Academy of Cambodia  

approved by Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation 

The British Embassy Phnom Penh has adopted an updated Khmer translation of the United Kingdom, following consultation with Cambodian linguistic experts, the Royal Academy of Cambodia and members of the British community in Cambodia, and with the approval of Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

 
The full official title of the United Kingdom in English is “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”.

  This remains the full and official title in English.

 We have updated and modernised the Khmer language translation to ”រាជាណាចក្ររួមនៃព្រីតថេន និងអៀរឡង់ខាងជើង”.

 The new translation more accurately reflects the UK’s current political structure as a constitutional monarchy and the fact that it is a union of four nations: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The preferred short form will be ”ព្រីតថេន”, a newly minted Khmer word which is a transliteration of the English word “Britain”.

 
The revision reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that the Khmer language accurately represents the identity of the United Kingdom, while respecting Khmer linguistic conventions and usage.

It also highlights the value of collaboration between Cambodian and British partners in promoting mutual understanding between our two countries.

 
His Majesty’s Ambassador to Cambodia, Dominic Williams MBE, said: 

I have had the tremendous privilege of an extended period learning Khmer and have deep respect for its fundamental importance in Cambodian culture.

  I believe strongly in sustaining this vibrant, living language.

 
When I first learnt the Khmer word for my country, I discovered that the words used, when translated into English, do not reflect the modern, diversity of the UK nor my own personal identity, as someone with English, Northern Irish and Welsh heritage.

 
Our decision to update the translation is an indication of the deep respect and importance we place on the Khmer language.

  We did not want to impose a change that felt alien to Khmer speakers so we consulted widely.

  It was fascinating to learn from the Royal Academy that the King Father had used a more accurate term for my country in the 1960s – “រាជាណាចក្ររួម”.

  It feels respectful to revive this historic usage so we have put the King Father’s words at the heart of our updated translation.

 
I am grateful to the Royal Academy, our linguistic partners, members of the British community in Cambodia, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for their expertise, thoughtfulness and collaboration in helping us reach this important milestone.

  I hope this new translation will play a small role in enhancing the friendship and mutual understanding between our two great nations.

 

The updated translation takes effect immediately and will be used across official British Embassy communications in Cambodia.

 
Further information

the revision was formally proposed by HM Ambassador to the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and has received ministerial approval

the previous term​ ”ចក្រភពអង់គ្លេស និងអៀរឡង់ខាងជើង”, translated as “English Empire and Northern Ireland”, not ”the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”

the updated Khmer translation is ”រាជាណាចក្ររួមនៃព្រីតថេន និងអៀរឡង់ខាងជើង”, translated as ”the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland”

the preferred short form is ”ព្រីតថេន”, which can be translated to either “Britain” or “Great Britain”

For media inquiry, please contact: ukincambodia@fcdo.

gov.

uk

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Correspondence
Circular 011/2026: Annexes F, U and DA, Police Regulations 2003

Amendments to implement the 2025 to 2026 pay award, extend targeted payments, and reflect changes to unsatisfactory performance procedures.

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Details

These documents set out changes to police pay, allowances and compensation lump sum on voluntary retirement.

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Published 31 July 2026

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Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release
Gemma Stevenson appointed as HMTC for Middle East & Pakistan

Gemma Stevenson has been appointed as HMTC for the Middle East and Pakistan and His Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade is delighted to announce that Gemma Stevenson has been appointed His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for the Middle East and Pakistan, and His Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, and will take up the role in September 2026.


Prior to this role, Gemma was Director in the Department for Business and Trade covering the UK’s Strategy for Small and Medium Enterprises.

She previously held senior civil service roles focusing on the UK’s commercial relationship with the Indo-Pacific, and economic and investment security.


Before joining the civil service, Gemma spent a decade in South Asia where she was an adviser to the Indian and Afghan governments on trade and commerce issues, and Director to the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan.

She has acted as a consultant for private sector clients in the UK from the professional services, transport and consumer goods sectors.


Gemma holds a degree in Modern History and Modern Languages from the University of Oxford and a Masters in Economic Public Policy from Princeton University.


Gemma takes up the role at an exciting time, with the UK having successfully concluded a milestone free trade agreement (FTA) with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), comprising the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

This is a major win for the UK and the Gulf and is the latest step in our mission to grow the economy through high-quality trade deals that deliver real benefits for people across the UK.


Gemma Stevenson said:

Our work on trade and investment is more than the exchange of goods and services and capital flows.

It is about shared ambition, trust and relationships that deliver innovation and growth.

I look forward to working with government and private sector partners across the Middle East and Pakistan to realise these opportunities.

Gemma replaces Sarah Mooney, who has covered the role on an interim basis since early 2025.


Sarah Mooney commented:

It has been a privilege to lead DBT in the Middle East and Pakistan in support of the government’s growth mission.

Across every market, I have seen for myself the opportunities for UK business, as well as a genuine appetite from countries in the region to deepen their partnership with the UK towards shared economic growth.

Role of the HM Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Middle East and Pakistan
The HM Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for the Middle East and Pakistan cooperates closely with the wider diplomatic network and other colleagues to coordinate the government effort overseas to promote UK trade and prosperity.


The HMTC has full responsibility for all Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) work in the Middle East and Pakistan including:

growing the overall trade and investment relationship

improving market access for British companies, including small and medium sized businesses (SMEs)

developing trade policy

The HMTC works closely with UK-based government colleagues, UK ambassadors and the wider diplomatic network in the region to deliver these goals.

Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release
Appointment of the Bishop of Leeds: 31 July 2026

This appointment was approved by The King on the advice of the previous Prime Minister.

The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr.

 Toby Matthew Howarth, Suffragan Bishop of Bradford in the Diocese of Leeds, for election as Bishop of Leeds, in succession to The Right Reverend Nicholas Baines following his retirement.


Background
Toby was educated at Yale University, Birmingham University and the Free University of Amsterdam, and trained for the ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.

 He served his title at St.

Augustine, in the Diocese of Derby, and was ordained Priest in 1993.

 From 1995, Bishop Howarth served as a study partner with Crosslinks and The Netherlands Reformed Mission League in India and, in 2000, he was appointed Evangelist at the Pilgrim Father’s Church in Rotterdam.

 From 2002, Toby served as Tutor with the Church Mission Society at Crowther Hall, Selly Oak, in the Diocese of Birmingham and was made Vice-Principal in 2003.


In 2004, Bishop Howarth was appointed as Priest-in-Charge, Springfield St.

Christopher, additionally serving as Inter-Faith Adviser to the Bishop of Birmingham from 2005.

 He served as Secretary for Inter-Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury and National Adviser for Inter-Religious Affairs from 2011.


In 2014, Bishop Howarth took up his current role as Bishop of Bradford, and has been serving additionally as Acting Bishop of Leeds since 2025.

Source: City of York

Developed by City of York Council, supported by David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire and funded by York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, Cultural Passports for Young People provide funding opportunities for arts, culture and heritage organisations wishing to deliver activities through the programme.

Organisations can access funding guidance, submit grant applications and stay up to date with key application dates and programme information using the dedicated website – www.culturalpassportyork.co.uk – with the first phase for applications closing on Monday 24 August.

The Cultural Passport grant programme aims to give young people aged 11 to 18 from target communities, free access to a wide range of creative and cultural experiences across the region. By removing financial barriers and connecting young people with inspiring opportunities, the programme encourages creativity, builds confidence and improves access to York and North Yorkshire’s rich creative and cultural offer.

The launch follows the successful conclusion of the Cultural Passport pilot projects, during which hundreds of young people took part in a diverse programme of free activities including filmmaking, pottery, reading and writing, theatre, music and rap workshops, sculpting and much more.

Activities were delivered in communities across York, Bedale, Risedale, Skipton, Scarborough, Ripon, Tadcaster and many other locations throughout the region, ensuring young people from a wide range of backgrounds had the opportunity to discover new interests, develop creative skills and build confidence through participation in the arts.

Cllr Pete Kilbane, City of York Council’s Executive Member for Economy and Culture, said:

The aim of the Cultural Passport programme is to energise and inspire young people and open doors into a creative world that would otherwise be closed.  We are looking for projects that enable them to discover new skills, allow their imaginations to flourish and open opportunities for a life, and possibly a career, immersed in culture. We have some incredible, creative individuals and organisations across the county and would urge as many people as possible to put forward proposals.”

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said:

From our rich heritage to our thriving arts scene, there’s no better place in the world to enjoy culture than right here.  

“By removing financial barriers through the Cultural Passport, we are helping young people discover everything their county has to offer.

“The pilot proved just how much talent and enthusiasm we have, and I want more of our brilliant cultural organisations to apply so we can expand these opportunities.”

Cllr Simon Myers, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for culture and arts, said:

The benefits of arts and culture are well-known and enrich our communities in North Yorkshire, bringing a boost to our economy and helping improve health and wellbeing.

“This is a great opportunity to get young people more involved in arts, culture and heritage activities which could inspire them to follow a career in the sector.

“I would urge organisations which are hoping to deliver activities through the programme to submit an application for funding to ensure that our cultural and arts sector in North Yorkshire becomes even more vibrant and diverse.”

Insights gained through the pilot have helped identify the needs and interests of young people, while providing valuable evidence to shape future investment and ensure the programme reaches those who face the greatest barriers to accessing arts, culture and heritage.

Source: Mayor of London

• London’s Violence Reduction Unit partners with Premier League Foundation and London football clubs to expand vital diversionary scheme
• 11 football club charities to deliver additional sport, mentoring and employability projects through the Premier League Kicks programme 
• New funding expands on Sadiq’s £100m investment in young people 
• Mayor’s holiday provision for young people boosted by targeted activities to keep young people safe and provided with access to food
• The VRU has now delivered activities and interventions for more than half a million young Londoners
• Hospital admissions of young people for knife assault down by more than 50 per cent since the VRU was set up 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced an almost £1.5m additional funding boost through his Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to deliver hundreds of diversionary activities aimed at keeping young people safe over the summer.

Building on the VRU and London United partnership announced by the Mayor last October, the new Premier League Kicks partnership work will continue to create vital safe spaces and provide targeted support for young Londoners. Delivery during the summer is crucial, as evidence shows young people are more vulnerable to exploitation and violence during this period. That is why the Mayor has prioritised investing in young people, ensuring they have access to food and to activities and support to keep them safe in the holidays.

This new announcement marks a significant expansion of London’s youth safety plans for the summer holidays, with a new year-long partnership between London’s Violence Reduction Unit, the Premier League and 11 professional London football club charities.

Working in partnership, the reach of professional football clubs will be used to support young people through sport, mentoring and employability activities aimed at strengthening community relationships and reducing young people’s risk of involvement in violence and exploitation.

The partnership will be backed by almost £700,000 investment from across the VRU, the Premier League via the Premier League Foundation, and London United, which represents the charities of all professional football clubs in the capital. They will work with London’s VRU to provide positive opportunities for young people during the crucial holiday period.

Delivery will take place through Premier League Kicks, the Premier League’s longest-standing community programme that recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary, providing targeted interventions, including one-to-one mentoring for young people at risk of exploitation, and support with life skills and employability.

The new £1.5m funding expands on Sadiq’s £100m investment in young people and his commitment to a public health approach to tackling violence in London. 

The evidence shows this approach, which centres on prevention and early intervention, is working with ONS figures showing a 15 per cent drop in knife crime in the last 12 months. The Mayor’s VRU, the first in England and Wales, has delivered diversionary activities and interventions for more than half a million young people and has played a key role in violence reducing in London. Hospital admissions of young people for knife assault down by more than 50 per cent since it was established in 2019.

The Premier League Kicks programme strengthens activities and access to food through the Mayor’s Holiday Hope programme, delivered by the VRU, Mayor’s Fund for London, The Felix Project and wider City Hall delivery.

A dedicated £600,000 pot from the VRU’s Stronger Futures programme will provide structured holiday activities for young people aged 8-18, with all funded organisations including food for young people to take home to their families. 

A further £130,000 investment will expand summer sports and activities in key areas that typically lack provision. Alongside this, operating across nine neighbourhoods, the VRU’s community-led MyEnds programme will bolster its holiday schedule to engage up to 18,000 young people with youth clubs, mentoring, trips, sports, and creative arts. 

Today, the Mayor and VRU director, Lib Peck, visited the Tottenham Hotspur training centre to launch the city-wide partnership. The visit coincided with the annual Godwin Lawson memorial tournament, which brought hundreds of young people together. Each year, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation partners with the Godwin Lawson Foundation, which was established in 2012 following Godwin’s tragic fatal stabbing in 2010. The tournament stands as a powerful testament to how sport, opportunity, and community collaboration can unite to tackle violence.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:

“My mission is to ensure London is the safest and best city in the world for young people to grow up in, offering them the same support and opportunities this city gave to me.

“I am incredibly proud that my Violence Reduction Unit has joined forces with the Premier League and London’s football club charities to scale up activities and positive opportunities for young people this summer.

“This partnership builds on the £100m investment in young Londoners and is a vital component of our wider summer funding package, designed to give young Londoners a helping hand as we work together to build a fairer, safer city for everyone.”

Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said:

“The summer holidays shouldn’t be a time of risk, yet we know that without the safety and structure that school provides, many young people are more vulnerable to exploitation and violence. Providing safe spaces and activities they want to be involved in during these months is absolutely vital to keeping them safe.

“I am really pleased that our ongoing work with London United has paved the way for this powerful new team-up with the Premier League. Together, we are securing crucial investment for the capital and expanding the reach of the Premier League Kicks programme.

“This initiative will work hand-in-hand with our broader VRU holiday programmes and City Hall funding, ensuring that young Londoners aren’t just protected over the summer, but are actively supported to thrive.”

Clare Sumner CBE, Premier League Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer, said: 

“The Premier League has a long-standing commitment to working with violence reduction units and local police forces to create positive opportunities for young people in communities across the country. We are delighted to build on this partnership in London with the support of the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit, expanding our reach to provide even more support and positive interventions for those who need it most.”

Alex White, Premier League Foundation Chief Executive, said:  

“We are delighted to be partnering with the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit to expand the reach of Premier League Kicks across the capital. This investment will create more opportunities for young people to access safe spaces, trusted mentors and positive activities in their communities. We know that when young people feel connected, supported and empowered, they are more likely to thrive. By bringing together the power of football with the expertise of the VRU and local partners, we can strengthen community safety, improve outcomes for young people and help ensure more young Londoners have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

Freddie Hudson, Chair of London United, said: 

“London’s football club charities have a unique ability to reach young people, build trust, provide safe spaces and opportunities within their local communities. By working together as one team through London United, we can pool our expertise and deliver an even greater impact.

Thanks to the investment from the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit and the Premier League Foundation, we will reach more young Londoners over the next year with new opportunities to forge positive relationships, learn vital life-skills and provide extra help where needed.” 

Yvonne Lawson of Godwin Lawson Foundation, said:

“For the last 15 years, the Godwin Lawson Foundation and Tottenham Hotspur have proudly hosted this tournament in honour of Godwin, using sport as a powerful platform to educate young people about the devasting consequences of knife and violence.

“Held every summer, the tournament brings young people from diverse backgrounds, creating safer environments where young people can build positive friendships, team build, and receive vital messages about staying safe during the school holidays.

“This event reflects the Foundation’s enduring commitment to transforming lives through hope, opportunities and prevention. 

“We welcome the Mayor’s funding boost, recognising that the summer holidays can be a particularly vulnerable time for young people with increased risk of exposure to violence and exploitation. Every young person deserves the opportunity to thrive in a safe environment free from violence and full of hope.”