Homepage

We use cookies to track and analyse visitors to our website

These cookies help make the website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation. They are necessary for our website to function and cannot be switched off.
These cookies gather information to understand how visitors interact with the website, such as how many people are using our website of which pages are popular to help us improve user experience. Switching off these cookies will mean that we cannot gather information to improve the user experience.
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by a third party provider whose services we have added to our website. Switching off these cookies mean that areas of our website cannot work properly.

Cookies are small text files that can be used by websites to make a user's experience more efficient.

The law states that we can store cookies on your device if they are strictly necessary for the operation of this site.

For all other types of cookies we need your permission.

This site uses different types of cookies. Some cookies are placed by third party services that appear on our pages.

You can at any time change or withdraw your consent from the Cookie Declaration on our website.

Learn more about who we are, how you can contact us and how we process personal data in our Privacy Policy.

Skip navigation
  • About us
    • Our Directors team
    • Our Board and panels
    • Strategic plan 2021-31
    • Annual reports
    • Our funders
    • Who we work with
    • Tenders
    • Contact us
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Learning and development
    • Protecting and Transforming Olympic and Paralympic sport
    • Leadership and governance
    • Coaching
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Aquatics
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Climbing
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Para performance strategic framework
    • Board minutes
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • Transparency and open data
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports and research
    • The Whyte Review
  • Jobs in sport
    • Working at UK Sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Find jobs in sport
    • Advertise sport jobs
  • About us
    • Our Directors team
    • Our Board and panels
    • Strategic plan 2021-31
    • Annual reports
    • Our funders
    • Who we work with
    • Tenders
    • Contact us
  • Our work
    • Investing in sport
    • Investing in events
    • Powering positive change and social impact
    • International relations
    • Learning and development
    • Protecting and Transforming Olympic and Paralympic sport
    • Leadership and governance
    • Coaching
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
    Olympic sports
    • Archery
    • Aquatics
    • Artistic Swimming
    • Athletics
    • Badminton
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Bobsleigh
    • Boxing (Amateur)
    • View all
    Paralympic sports
    • Boccia
    • Goalball
    • Para-Archery
    • Para-Athletics
    • Para-Badminton
    • Para-Canoe
    • Para-Climbing
    • Para-Cycling
    • Para-Equestrian Dressage
    • View all
  • Resources
    • A Code for Sports Governance
    • Organisational Health
    • Para performance strategic framework
    • Board minutes
    • Complaints and whistleblowing
    • Eligibility
    • Fraud, corruption and bribery
    • Transparency and open data
    • HR policy templates
    • Pregnancy guidance
    • Reports and research
    • The Whyte Review
  • Jobs in sport
    • Working at UK Sport
    • Explore career pathways
    • Find jobs in sport
    • Advertise sport jobs
Popular content on our site
Prepare to “Find Your Greatness” as search for UK's future athletes gets underway The National Lottery operator Allwyn launches ChangeMakers fund for athletes as they make a difference back home Breadth of success targeted as British Olympic and Paralympic performance aspirations confirmed for Paris Investing in sport Strategic plan 2021-31
News

Athletes celebrate gift of giving back with 10,000 inspiration days since 2012

Published 19 December 2014

Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes, backed by UK Sport’s National Lottery funded World Class Programme, have given back over 10,000 days to schools and communities since London 2012 in a bid to inspire the next generation through sport. 

While balancing their demanding training schedules on the road to Rio and PyoengChang, 1477 athletes have worked with children and young people right across the nation, from Elgin, Scotland to Belfast, Northern Ireland,  Llawhaden, Wales and Truro, England.

Activities have ranged from supporting sport development programmes, such as Sky Ride and Sportivate, to volunteering with charities, like the Youth Sport Trust and Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, and mentoring young people in deprived communities or in primary schools. Some athletes have also coached or mentored talented young athletes in local or academy clubs within their sports.

The athlete inspiration days are part of a promise made by UK Sport to encourage all its funded athletes to give up to five days a year to inspire children and young people through sport. This promise was made following the unprecedented announcement, on August 12 2012, by Prime Minister David Cameron of continued government funding for elite sport beyond the lifetime of the current parliament.

This decision has allowed UK Sport to invest a record amount of over £380 million of National Lottery and Government funds for 45 summer and winter sports to prepare for Rio 2016 and PyeongChang 2018, to build on the incredible successes of London 2012 and Sochi 2014.

Sports Minister Helen Grant said: "Investment from the National Lottery and exchequer has contributed to the Great British success story in elite sport over the past few years. It has helped our very best athletes succeed at the highest level in Olympic and Paralympic Games, World and European Championships.

"I am delighted at our athletes' response in giving something back to the public that have given them such great support, going out into communities up and down the country and inspiring a whole new generation to get involved in sport."

Liz Nicholl, UK Sport CEO, said: “Sport is a fantastic tool to engage children and young people, and inspire them to fulfill their potential both in and out of the sporting arena. Our athletes all have incredible stories, skills and experience that can make a real impact, both sporting and non-sporting, on the next generation.

“Whether they have achieved their ultimate dream of winning an Olympic or Paralympic medal or not, their journey will have been one of dedication and hard work, struggle and sacrifice, moments of both celebration and adversity.

“Our athletes have a huge amount to offer, and I am incredibly proud of the commitment they have made to giving back 10000 days since London 2012.”

GB Hockey’s London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, Alex Danson, said: “Ask any sports person how or why they got into sport and most people can name someone special that inspired them, often a volunteer. For me it was my P.E. teacher and club captain, and having been lucky enough to have this, I feel it's both our privilege and mission to try and do the same for the next generation.”

To mark this incredible milestone of reaching 10000 days since London 2012, UK Sport will be celebrating the athletes’ endeavors this week on Twitter, and revealing our ‘top ten’ athletes who have gone well above and beyond what is expected of them to inspire the next generation. Has an athlete visited your school or sports club? Were you inspired by their stories? We’d love to hear the impact they’ve had on you. Celebrate the gift of giving back with us using #10000days @uk_sport

Share
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

News

Tess Howard standing in front of a banner saying
ChangeMakers grant athletes announced
30 April 2025
Imogen Grant rowing in the middle of the image, rowing away from camera. A coach stands on the dock to the right hand side.
Sustainability Accelerator Programme
16 April 2025
The attendees of the Women in Coaching event with standing in front of a building.
First Annual Women in Coaching Assembly convenes in Birmingham
10 April 2025
Looking to work in sport?
Find or advertise sports jobs in the UK
Search now
Our funders
  • Funded by UK Government
  • TNL partners
Who we work with
  • British Olympic Association
  • Paralympics GB
  • Logo of the UK Sports Institute
  • Sport England
  • Sport Northern Ireland
  • Sport Wales
  • Sport Scotland
  • Logo of the British Elite Athletes Association
  • Logo for UK Coaching
  • Logo of Sport Resolutions
Sitelogo
Sitemap
  • Homepage
  • About us
  • Our work
  • Events
  • News
  • Sports
  • Resources
  • Jobs in sport
  • Website terms and privacy policy
  • Editorial policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility
  • Freedom of Information
  • Welsh language scheme
  • FAQs
Contact
UK Sport
6th Floor
10 South Colonnade
London
E14 4PU
E: info@uksport.gov.uk
T: +44 (0) 20 7211 5100
Follow us
Twitter Youtube Instagram LinkedIn

© Copyright UK Sport 2025