Teesside University London supports young footballers
Two youth football teams were backed by Teesside University London in a regional tournament which was established to build connections between communities.
The 32 Borough Cup sees youth football teams from each of the London boroughs compete to be named champion.
It was established to connect young people and communities, boost grassroots football and tackle youth gang violence.
Teesside University London is committed to establishing local networks and working within the community. It sponsored Newham and Hackney in the under 18s tournament, which was eventually won by Islington for the second time.
The annual event was established by Bobby Kasanga, founder of community football club Hackney Wick FC. As a former gang member, Bobby is determined to discourage young people from following the same path he did.
Award-winning series Top Boy was the overall sponsor for the tournament. Other supporters, alongside Teesside University London, included Think Outside the Blox, Frank Capital, The National Lottery Community Fund, and Hey BIG Man.
Teesside University London is Teesside University’s new campus based at Here East in Stratford, and it is due to welcome its first cohort of students this September.
Offering our support to the young people involved in the 32 Borough Cup as they took a stand against youth gang violence was an honour, and all those involved should be very proud of their achievements.
Since taking up residency in the capital, Teesside University London has worked to embed itself within the local community by getting involved in initiatives and projects such as the 32 Borough Cup.
Kathryn Elliott, Head of Partnerships (Teesside University London), worked with Bobby Kasanga, to establish its support for the tournament.
She said: “Our community outreach work is extremely important to us here at Teesside University London and is something we have been placing a great deal of emphasis on as we establish our new campus. This work is in line with our overall mission of transforming lives and economies.
“Offering our support to the young people involved in the 32 Borough Cup as they took a stand against youth gang violence was an honour, and all those involved should be very proud of their achievements.
“We hope to continue our work with the youth teams and organisers as the tournament grows.”
The 32 Borough Cup took place at Hackney Marshes on Sunday 25 June.