Improving lives
at the heart of our community
A thank you to our partners
We are proud to work with many organisations, both across Doncaster and nationally, to enable us to help more people, more regularly, every year. We have outlined these organisations below and we thank them for their continued support of our charity.
Introduction and headline figures
As an independent, community focused charity, we are proud to use our unique position to support thousands of people across our community.
Across 2024–25, our programmes of work engaged 14,683 participants, delivering 225,276 attendances across community outreach, education and inclusion interventions.
Over the coming pages, there's a look back on our previous delivery year, with some key impact statistics and some quotes from the people behind the statistics.
Return on expenditure Value to individuals
£22.96 million
£11.50
£2,097
Total generated in social value, demonstrating the significant positive impact delivered for participants, communities, and wider society
Amount created in social value by the programme for every £1 invested. This represents a strong return, highlighting both cost-effectiveness and the efficiency of delivery
Average contributed by each participant who achieved measurable outcomes
225,276
4,053
PUPILS ENGAGED ACROSS PARTNER SCHOOLS
SCHOOL S
PREMIER LE AGUE INSPIRES
1,046
YOUNG PEOPLE ACCESSING SECONDARY SCHOOL SUPPORT AND MENTORING
REFUGEE DELIVERY SUPPORT AT TENDANCES
• DEMENTIA SUPPORT
• KEEP IN MIND
3,024
DIVERSIONARY PROGR AMME AT TENDANCES
3,401
ELE VATE ENGAGEMENTS
477
FIT FORCES
18,056
1,114
SESSION AT TENDANCES
The stories behind the data
Education
› Liam’s Story
Diagnosed with autism at the age of five, Liam has had to overcome many challenges throughout his life, but he hasn’t let this stop him progress from education, to an apprenticeship, to employment.
Now, working for the football club he loves and its charity, he’s making a positive impact to young participants in his local community. Liam started his journey with us at Club Doncaster Sports College where his attitude and application impressed his tutor, Will Biggs. Will commented: “Liam consistently demonstrated a positive and committed attitude throughout his time at college. It is excellent to see his continued development, and he is someone both the college and the wider Doncaster community can be genuinely proud of. "
Liam progressed from our college to an apprenticeship where he then gained the skills and qualifications he needed to fulfil his coaching journey. Following the completion of his apprenticeship, Liam had made himself an indispensable member of the team which has led to him delivering coaching provision across Doncaster, helping us to support the new wave of children to realise their potential and use sport as a vehicle to achieve that.
Liam commented: “I was getting a lot of experience on my apprenticeship and there was a lot of people to look up to. I worked with Rich as a lead and he gave me so much confidence to lead sessions and support young people. I’m now in a position where I can give my perspective and help people who may struggle with the same things I did at school. I needed help when I was a kid and because I got that support, this has made me want to give back and be able to support children in my role.”
I say it all the time but Fit Rovers didn’t just change my life - it saved it, mentally and physically
The stories behind the data Community Outreach › Jess’s Story
When Jess stepped into Club Doncaster Foundation, she was looking to rebuild her confidence and improve her wellbeing after having her baby.
That first moment entering Fit Families marked the beginning of a life-changing journey. The programme gave Jess a safe, welcoming space to focus on her wellbeing, free from judgement. By the end of the course, she wasn’t just seeing physical changes – her confidence and motivation were thriving.
Soon after, Jess joined the Fit Rovers Ladies programme, where she flourished further. She pushed herself more than ever before, completing her first half marathon in 2024.
Her dedication didn’t stop there. Jess became a regular in the Fit Rovers community, racking up over 200 attendances and earning the Fit Rovers Participant of the Year award. She also began attending Parkrun with her family – starting with walks, and now running with a personal best.
Nick Gillott, Head of Community Programmes, said: “Since joining the Foundation’s programmes, Jess has lost five-and-a-half stone – but more importantly, she’s found a renewed sense of purpose.”
“She has since joined the Fit Rovers Committee too, supporting courses and events, and helping others take their first steps. Jess’s story is about far more than weight lost or miles run. It’s about confidence rediscovered, friendships built, and the incredible things that happen when someone dares to believe in themselves.”
Jess added: “I say it all the time, but Fit Rovers didn’t just change my life –it saved it, mentally and physically.”
The stories behind the data
Inclusion › Saffia’s Story
Struggling to come to terms with her husband’s diagnosis and adapting to life as his carer, Saffia found herself on a self-confessed downward spiral, one that would only serve to worsen following his passing.
After years of trying to be everything to everyone, while juggling a full-time role, she was on the brink. Nothing, not even medication or counselling, seemed capable of pulling her out of the ‘black hole’ she had fallen into. That was until she walked through the Foundation Fitness doors.
We support each other in every way possible. It is essential to the community, the safe pace they provide us with
Crediting Foundation Fitness with her improved mental and physical health, Saffia told us: “Everything was looking up. I was looking forward to coming to the gym every single week. And here I am today, healthy, fit, and I’ve not got pre-diabetes anymore.”
She added: “It’s not just a place we go to exercise. We support each other in every way possible. It is essential to our community, the safe space they provide us with.”
“Tailoring our gym provision to the unique needs of our local Muslim women community, Foundation Fitness has afforded Saffia and others the chance to exercise with confidence, an opportunity that would not ordinarily be available to them.”
Substance has developed bespoke valuation models tailored to football, sport and physical activity
How we process participant data
Programme participation
Participation data for the 2024–25 reporting period has been collated from monthly monitoring returns across all programmes and delivery settings. For each session or delivery line, two measures are recorded: unique participants (U) and total attendances (H). Unique participants represent the number of distinct individuals engaged within a specific programme and month, while total attendances represent the cumulative number of visits or contacts delivered. For reporting purposes, figures have been aggregated across all months and programmes using a cumulative methodology.
It is important to note that the dataset does not include individual participant identifiers. As a result, participants who engage in multiple months or across different programmes may be counted more than once within the cumulative participant total.
IMPROVING LIVES ACROSS DONCASTER
EDUCATION INCLUSION COMMUNITY
Social value
Substance is a specialist organisation with extensive experience in assessing the social impact and value generated by sports bodies and related charities. Drawing on decades of research, it has developed bespoke social valuation models tailored to football, sport and physical activity. Its track record includes work for UEFA, over 40 national football associations, professional clubs, and a wide range of governing bodies.
The methodology centres on defining the changes an organisation aims to achieve and then identifying measurable outcomes that can be valued financially. For EFL Club charities, Substance calculated social value across several domains; participation in sport and physical activity, targeted programmes in education, training and employment, community cohesion and safety, physical and mental health, Premier League Foundation projects, and additional contributions such as; donations, in-kind support, staff and volunteer time, facility access, cost-of-living support and player appearances.
