Share:
May 24, 2024
On May 15, Beyond Sport welcomed sporting legends to London’s iconic Searcy’s restaurant at The Gherkin for an evening dedicated to raising funds in support of our work to positively impact communities around the world.
Hosted by UK sports broadcaster Alex Payne, guests enjoyed stunning 360-degree city views while celebrating sport’s transformational power with Olympians, Paralympians, Grand Slam Champions and social change leaders. “Sport is the single thing that can make the world better, fairer, more transparent and honest. It is the great leveler,” Oxford professor and historian Peter Frankopan noted during an insightful conversation providing a historic view of the Olympics and the unifying force of sport.
Beyond Sport Founder and Board Chair Nick Keller then opened the evening, sharing a personal story of how rugby and coaches changed the course of his life after being told he was ‘unteachable’ in the classroom. He went on to highlight how coaches – a strong focus of Beyond Sport’s work – are the “great multipliers,” with a unique ability to influence young people’s lives exponentially.
He also illustrated the true meaning of sport for social change by sharing a recent post from NGO and past Beyond Sport Global Award winner, Free to Run. In the face of the Taliban’s intensifying targeting and dismantling of women’s human rights in the country, they remain committed to standing up for young Afghan women through strength and mental wellness programs.
Throughout the evening, we were honored to hear from medalists and record holders across track and field: Sally Gunnell, Michael Johnson and Denise Lewis, field hockey: Helen and Kate Richardson Walsh, para athletics (wheelchair): Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, and rugby: Alun Wyn Jones who shared candid remembrances of their experiences, motivations and preparations for the big moments in their careers.
“I always wanted to be nervous and that’s one thing that I miss now. That moment where I always thought, ‘I could win but I don’t know that I’m going to win. But when the gun goes off, we’re going to find out,’ said Johnson. “I was always confident because I had put in all the work. I had done everything I could possibly do to be ready for the moment and be physically, mentally, emotionally at my best. That comes back to that self-awareness and knowing ‘what do I need to do?’ ‘What’s my routine to be emotionally in a state where I can deliver my best performance?’ That’s what it was for me.”
Kate Richardson-Walsh expanded on the opportunity sport provided her and her teammates to affect change. “It is about winning, but it’s more than that as well. It’s about the impact we can have on the communities we are part of. Legacy, women’s sport, improving horrific discrepancies in elite hockey. Winning gold allowed us to do that.”
During the dinner, international live painter Ben Mosley amazed the audience with his real-time mural process, resulting in a unique piece featuring the attending athletes which was later auctioned off. Mosley is Team Great Britain’s official artist and will attend Paris 2024 with the Olympic team to create paintings celebrating the athlete’s journeys.
Guests also got to view prominent business leader and entrepreneur Nigel Wray’s private “The Priory Collection.” Built up over 35 years, it features all the Summer Olympic Games torches, Muhammad Ali’s 1963 boxing gloves from the bout with Henry Cooper and Luz Long’s silver medal from the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It is the only collection of its kind in the UK.
We were also fortunate to have Beyond Sport partner Shaninga Marasha, Chief Executive of London’s award-winning BIGKID Foundation on hand to explain how they are incorporating sport in their work to end youth violence through mentorship, community engagement and leadership programs. And via a video message, partners from UmRio (Brazil), Girls on the Run NYC (USA) and HYPE Merseyside (UK) also shared their work with young people and connections to Beyond Sport.
The event closed out with a live auction run by actor, broadcaster and former rugby union player Martin Banfield. Packages included VIP sport experiences from F1 to iconic golf courses to a WBC title fight donated by Beyond Sport Board members, team, league and governing body supporters, philanthropists and friends.
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made the night a success, helping enable Beyond Sport and our partners to change even more lives.
Share:
