AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

LONDON IS HOME TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. THE CITY IS GLOBALLY RECOGNISED FOR IT UNIQUE CULTURE AND WELCOMING PEOPLE, MAKING IT A POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION ALL YEAR ROUND. HOWEVER, FOR THOSE LIVING IN THE CAPITAL, LIFE IN LONDON CAN SOMETIMES NOT BE AS PERFECT AS IT SEEMS. ISSUES SUCH AS CRIME, OVERPOPULATION, AND LACK OF LOCAL GREEN SPACES IN CERTAIN AREAS HAVE CAUSED CERTAIN LONDONERS TO FEEL ANXIOUS WHEN STEPPING OUT THE HOUSE.

50% OF MILLENNIALS AND GEN-Z ‘S IN THE UK FEEL ANXIOUS OR STRESSED A LOT OF THE TIME. THEY ALSO SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME ONLINE, ESPECIALLY IN THE POST-COVID ERA WHEN SCREEN TIME HAS GROWN BY 76%. THE OUTDOORS OFFERS BOTH A COUNTERPOINT AND A SOLUTION. IN FACT, STUDIES SUGGES THAT A CONNECTION WITH NATURE REDUCES STRESS AND ANXIETY WHILE CREATING PHYSICAL WELLBEING AND BETTER SELF ESTEEM.

THE NHS STATES THAT THOSE WHO EXERCISE HAVE A LOWER RISK OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND STROKE, TYPE 2 DIABETES, BOWEL CANCER, BREAST CANCER IN WOMEN, EARLY DEATH, DEMENTIA AND DEPRESSION. BUT LIVING AN ACTIVE LIFE CAN HELP. SPORT ENGLAND’S LATEST ACTIVE LIVES SURVEY SHOWS 1.18 MILLION CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS ARE COMING TOGETHER AND PLAYING BASKETBALL ON A WEEKLY BASIS – THE HIGHEST IT HAS BEEN IN FIVE YEARS.

ALL IN ALL, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT SPENDING ENOUGH TIME OUTSIDE – BUT BASKETBALL OFFERS A COUNTERPOINT: YOUNG PEOPLE ARE PLAYING IT MORE THAN EVER ACROSS THE CAPITAL AND THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CAPITALIZE UPON BASKETBALL WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PREVENT MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL HEALTH ISSUES.